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By Josfyn Uba
Joy Ify Onyekwere is a seasoned media professional, climate journalist, and the Founder/ Editor-in-Chief of Climate Justice Africa Magazine (CJAM) a voice in the African sustainability space. She has dedicated her career to reshaping the continent’s climate narrative by highlighting African-led innovation, resilience, and actionable leadership.
With an MBA in Business and Sustainability and a background in journalism from the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Onyekwere bridges the gap between complex climate policy and public understanding. Beyond her editorial leadership, she is the host of the Climate Fact File on People’s FM Abuja, where she fosters essential dialogues on the circular economy and environmental justice. Her work has positioned her as a key advocate on the global stage.
In this interview with Daily Sun while discussing the disconnection between climate policy and grassroots implementation, Onyekwere said that many climate policies are designed at federal or international levels without enough integration of local realities. She said that communities especially those greatly affected by climate change should also be treated as participants in this process.
As media practitioners, are we covering the climate story effectively in Nigeria?
I can say that we are gradually improving, but the coverage is still not fully where it needs to be. Most climates reporting in Nigeria remains seasonal, especially when the reality of climate change begins to hit communities. We don’t have to wait until then. We need sustained environmental storytelling.
Truth is what is often missing is the lived reality: how climate change affects food prices, health, livelihoods, and displacement. Until we consistently connect climate data to human experience, we are only telling half the story. People need to understand how this connects, perhaps by then, climate action will be taken more seriously. We can also get to the point when climate storytelling becomes a big one like we do with politics and security. It is amazing how climate change impacts security and livelihood. We need to drive more focus towards climate change.
How do you translate complex environmental policy into accessible language for grassroots audiences?
When it comes to climate change, it’s more of science based, it is technical and that’s where a bridge is needed. This is because people can only take action towards what they understand. In the cause of my career, this is something I have been big on. Policy and scientific language like “mitigation,” “resilience,” or “net zero” means very little to someone in a market or farming community unless it is connected to their daily life. So I translate climate issues into food security, heat stress, flooding of homes, and farming cycles. As a communicator, especially on radio, I run a weekly radio program called, Climate Fact File.
I use storytelling, easy languages, and oftentimes, I bring in guests who share relatable examples and experiences so people don’t just hear climate information, they understand how it affects their survival and choices.
How do you assess Nigeria’s current efforts toward achieving Net Zero?
Nigeria has demonstrated policy alignment with global climate frameworks through its Net Zero 2060 pledge and updated Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement which is very commendation. I must commend stakeholders however, we have gotten to the point where synergy with public and private sectors must come together like never before for synergy.
From a technical standpoint, key sectors, particularly oil and gas, power generation, transport, and agriculture also need well planned decarbornization roadmaps with clear interim carbon budgets. While there is progress in renewable energy expansion and gas transition the country still faces significant constraints in grid infrastructure, climate finance mobilization, and emissions monitoring and reporting. The real test is beyond pledges itself, but the pace of implementation, policy coherence, and measurable emissions reduction across sectors.
Where is the disconnection between policy and grassroots implementation?
The disconnect lies in ownership and communication. Many climate policies are designed at federal or international levels without enough integration of local realities. Grassroots communities especially those greatly imparted with climate change already should be treated as participants in this process as well.
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When all the sides are included, it will increase awareness, strong adoption, and trust. Effective implementation requires co-creation; bringing local knowledge, traditional systems, and community leadership into policy execution.
Why is “justice” the missing piece in Nigeria’s climate conversation?
I wouldn’t say justice is totally missing, but rather it is still heavily focused on technology, funding, and emissions, rather than fairness. Climate justice asks a critical question: who is paying the real price of climate change? In Nigeria, it is often rural farmers, coastal communities, and vulnerable populations who contribute least to emissions but suffer most from floods, erosion, and heat stress. Without justice, climate action risks becoming unequal and unsustainable.
Can you give me a sense of the core qualities of a climate leader for the next generation?
A climate leader must combine knowledge with empathy. While the science of climate change must be understood by the leader, emotional intelligence to engage communities meaningfully is also needed .A climate leader is one who can see a challenge and harness weakness or that challenge into opportunities. Like I always say, climate change is not just a challenge. It also carries opportunities such as green jobs. A climate leader must possess strong communication skills that are essential to explain environmental issues in simple form. This is a leader willing to go to the front and begin to take action. Most importantly, they must be solution-driven, not just problem identifiers.
What do you think is the one overlooked indigenous solution in Nigeria?
One major overlooked area is indigenous agricultural knowledge systems. Many rural communities already practice climate-adaptive farming such as intercropping, seed preservation, and seasonal migration of farming activities. These systems are resilient and low-cost, yet they are often excluded from formal climate financing and policy design. Integrating indigenous knowledge with modern climate science can produce more sustainable outcomes
How do you weave peace-building into climate advocacy?
Climate change is increasingly a driver of resource-based tension between farmers and herders, between communities over water, land, and grazing areas. My approach is to frame climate action as a peace-building tool. If communities cooperate in managing scarce resources and adopt shared adaptation strategies, it reduces conflict risk. So climate advocacy must also promote dialogue, inclusion, and shared governance of natural resources.
How do you sell the Green Economy as job creation rather than a threat?
I reposition the Green Economy as an economic transition, not a loss. Many people fear change because they associate it with job loss, especially in fossil fuel or traditional sectors. But the green economy actually creates new opportunities. For instance, in renewable energy, recycling, sustainable agriculture, climate journalism, and green transport. The key is skills development and ensuring that workers are not left behind but retrained and integrated into emerging sectors.
What actually inspired your climate justice journey?
My journey came from witnessing how environmental challenges disproportionately affect vulnerable communities while often being underreported or misunderstood. I also do not believe Africa has no solution around climate change. I have seen and told stories of Africans creating solutions to climate change. Someone has to tell our side of the story and that is where I come in. As a media professional, I realized that storytelling has power; it can bring to light greatness hidden in some part of Africa. I love nature, and for me, climate justice became a natural path because it connects environment, equity, and human dignity.
What are you most optimistic about in Nigeria’s environmental future?
I am optimistic about the growing awareness among young people and the increasing integration of climate issues into sensitization projects as well as entrepreneurship. I see people turn waste to valuables… That is hope! The next generation have a lot to tap into from what is been put in place. I see people creating solutions with art and science for climate action. That is progress. We are also seeing innovation in renewable energy, and climate-smart agriculture. If these efforts are supported with financing, Nigeria has the potential to become a regional leader in green transformation.
