Climate Watch: Buhari calls for humanitarian aid to Pakistan over flooding

Despite directly impacting our communities, health and livelihood, climate-related reports usually take a back seat to dominant news beats like politics and business. Climate Watch aims to ensure you never miss important stories on climate change and actions being taken towards limiting its impact.

Here is a round-up of last week’s climate stories: 

• As flooding washed through Pakistan last week, causing damage to homes, killing over 1000 and displacing millions, President Muhammadu Buhari called on international donor agencies to send “urgent aid” to the country. In a statement, Buhari said “Pakistan and its population are in the thoughts and prayers of Nigerians as they confront this humanitarian disaster of epic proportions.” Meanwhile, according to the BBC, hundreds of people stranded across the river, after the access bridge collapsed, in the Manoor valley of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province have pleaded to be provided with food supplies and medicine as they are not able to leave the valley.  Pakistan’s government has also appealed to friendly countries, donors and international financial institutions to assist them in coping with the calamity.

• Following reports on the pollution of the Osun river, the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) said it has begun investigating the pollution of the river. In June 2022, an investigation by TheCable revealed how mining activities in Ilesa communities in Osun state have polluted the water body at the popular Osun-Osogbo grove. Aliyu Jauro, director-general of NESREA, said the water and soil samples on the area have been collected for laboratory analysis to determine the level of pollution, after which those involved in unsustainable mining practices will be made to face the law. Find out more here. 

• Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has launched Nigeria’s energy transition plan as a major pathway in achieving universal energy access by 2030 and a carbon-neutral economy for Nigeria by 2060. During the launch last week, Osinbajo said the plan was designed to tackle energy poverty and climate change crisis, as well as deliver sustainable development goal seven (SDG7) by 2030 and net zero by 2060.  He said the plan will, among other things, lift 100 million people out of poverty, reduce Nigeria’s carbon footprint, drive economic growth and create jobs. Read more here. 

• Similarly, Osinbajo also launched a universal energy facility that would make grants available to solar energy companies to enable them to expand their operations in Nigeria. He said the grants will help solar companies contribute to the energy transition plan by spreading their activities to small and medium enterprises, grow their businesses and create jobs. Find out more about the grant here.

• As Europe’s dependence on Russian gas dwindles and as energy costs skyrocket amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the country now has to burn off large amounts of natural gas, according to the BBC. Russia’s plant, near the border with Finland, is burning an estimated $10m (£8.4m) worth of gas every day. This, according to experts, would previously have been exported to Germany. The flare is said to be coming from a new liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant at Portovaya, north-west of St Petersburg, and has caused a significant increase in heat, methane and black carbon emanating from the facility into the neighbouring environments.