Climate Watch: Tinubu sets up committee on climate action, green economy

Despite directly impacting our communities, health, and livelihoods, 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 toward limiting its impact.

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

• President Bola Tinubu has established a presidential committee on climate action and green economic solutions. A statement by the presidency said Tinubu will lead the committee as the chairman, while Balarabe Abbas, minister of environment, will serve as the vice-chairman. The committee is expected to coordinate and oversee all policies and programmes on climate action and green economic development. The statement added that the committee will also identify, develop, and implement innovative non-oil and non-gas climate action initiatives. Read more here.
• Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) and the Heart of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) have asked Shell to address the environmental impacts of its operations in the Niger Delta region. The civil society organisations (CSOs) made the demand on May 20 when their members protested in front of Shell’s head office in Lagos. During the protest, the CSOs noted that Shell’s operations have had severe consequences, including climate change, regulatory infractions, and environmental injustice in communities in the Niger Delta region. Find out more here.
• The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) have launched a webinar series to train over 1,500 teachers and policymakers worldwide. The UNFCCC said the series will run from May to December 2024. The organisation said participants will discuss integrating climate change and sustainability into the teaching, learning, and education systems. The webinar will also engage participants in strengthening their capacities in policy, planning, and financing. Find out more here.
• In his message to commemorate the International Day for Biological Biodiversity on May 22, Antonio Guterres, the United Nations secretary general, called for urgent measures to halt environmental decline. Guterres said greenhouse gas emissions are disrupting landscapes and ecosystems, noting that the degradation of biodiversity is damaging sustainable development around the world. He said world leaders must act urgently to put biodiversity on a path to recovery. Read more here.
• Tomi Lydia Salami, a Nigerian ex-beauty queen, is set to unveil an environmental advocacy project in Lagos. The project, titled ‘Catch them young: Environmental awareness convention 2024′, is targeted at high school students in Lagos. The convention will be held at the J.F Ade Ajayi Auditorium of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) on May 30. Read more here.