‘Fossil fuel future is bleak’ — reps panel calls for investment in renewable energy

The house of representatives committee on science, technology and innovation says Nigeria needs to invest in climate-friendly renewable energy sources.

Beni Lar, chairperson of the committee, said this at the weekend when she led some members of the committee to an oversight visit to the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) in Abuja.

Greenhouse gas emissions and other global warming activities are causing harsh effects on the earth with more intense rainfall resulting in land degradation, flash floods, landslides, and gully erosion.

In April, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released an assessment report on climate change, asking countries to reduce industry emissions and progress towards net-zero GHG emissions by using low and zero GHG electricity, hydrogen, fuels, and carbon management.

The report also emphasised the need for an end to fossil fuels if the world is to limit global warming to 2⁰C or below, implying that the world must “will leave a substantial amount of fossil fuels unburned” and do away with fossil fuel infrastructure.

Speaking at the oversight visit, Lar said the ECN is the government agency responsible for driving the UN climate change agenda and sustainable development goals in safe energy usage.

“With over four decades of operational existence, this energy think-tank has the strategic role of preparing and guiding the nation into the post-crude oil dominance era that now steers us in the face,” she said.

“The several quantum leaps in the advancement of science and technology are leaning towards renewable and more climate-friendly energy sources should alarm leaders in the Nigerian project particularly the ECN as the future of fossil fuel looks very bleak.”

The committee, which also visited the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), said the agency should uphold its function of harnessing ideas, inventions, innovations, and creative works toward technological advancement and global competitiveness.

“May I rightly observe that NOTAP occupies a critical place in the scientific advancement of Nigeria or its continued development, At this point, I wish to state without equivocation that the current DG has repositioned the office towards the realisation of its lofty objectives,” Lar said.

She added that the committee will continue to visit the agencies under its supervision to ensure that they deliver on their mandates.