Minister seeks nature-based solutions for climate crisis, biodiversity loss

Ishaq Salako, minister of state for environment, says there is a need to adopt nature-based solutions to address climate crisis, biodiversity loss and pollution in Nigeria.

Salako spoke at the 17th meeting of the national council on environment in Abuja on Wednesday.

He said the world is facing a climate emergency that requires bold and ambitious actions from all leaders.

The minister urged environment stakeholders to “forge strategic partnerships” and explore innovative ways of funding climate action in the country.

Salako said nature-based solutions will offer natural advantages and a better potential to improve the livelihoods of citizens.

“In our drive to build a sustainable future for our generation and the ones yet unborn, mobilising funding for climate and environmental actions is a core imperative,” he said.

“In doing this, we need to emphasise our areas of comparative advantages and present such to the global community as our contribution to addressing the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.

“One such area that Nigeria is emphasising is nature based solutions. The global north, who are the greatest contributor to the environmental challenges being faced by the world, are offering us all kinds of technologies, some of them controversial, as the solution to the crisis.

“As we evaluate and consider these technologies, let us not lose touch with nature based solutions that offer us natural advantages and possess a higher potential to reduce capital flight and improve the livelihoods of our people.

“In this regard, the federal ministry of environment at COP28 in Dubai championed and launched the Ministerial Alliance for Ambition on Nature Finance to give us a voice in promoting ambition on biodiversity finance in global south countries like Nigeria.

“As the developed world comes around with their technologies and carbon credit schemes where they almost exclusively determine the pricing, let us also put forward our rich biodiversity worth trillion of dollars.”

Koffy Dominque, representative of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in Nigeria, said the environment is under pressure from climate change, deforestation, pollution, and other threats.

Dominique said that FAO is committed to supporting the Nigerian government at all levels to enhance sustainable natural resource management.

He urged stakeholders to “embrace the spirit of collaboration, innovation, and inclusivity” in addressing environmental issues, as well as developing policies to safeguard the nation’s natural heritage.

“Once appropriate conditions are in place, it becomes easier to make investment opportunities that can contribute to emission reductions and conservation,” he said.

“FAO is committed to supporting government at all levels to implement, monitor and report climate commitments outlined in the National Determined Contribution document, support to accessing climate finance and partnership and technical support to mainstreaming agrifood systems to the national biodiversity strategy and action plans (NBSAPS).

“FAO has assisted the government to access significant funding from bilateral and multilateral agencies such as the Global Climate Fund (GCF), Global Environment Fund (GEF), the World Bank and donor countries to implement projects on sustainable forest, landscape restoration and management, biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation and adaptation in line with the FAQ strategic framework 2022-2031.”