Follow Us on Google
As the United Nations prepares to hold COP31 in Turkiye, the Initiative for Research, Innovation and Advocacy for Development (IRIAD) has urged stakeholders and participants to seize the opportunity to advance national climate change projects.
The organization said in a press statement on Monday that COP31 provides an opportunity to accelerate global climate action; IRIAD/IRIADEV calls on the following stakeholders to translate climate commitments into concrete, inclusive and accountable action.
It pointed out that the United Nations and International Climate Institutions are strengthening global climate cooperation, supporting the implementation of the Paris Agreement and advancing equitable climate finance, adaptation and loss and damage mechanisms, with accountability that reflects the needs of vulnerable countries, particularly in Africa.
It said the Global North Countries and International Development Partners should honour and scale up climate finance commitments, ensure timely and accessible funding for developing countries, and support technology transfer and capacity building without imposing conditionalities that undermine national sovereignty.
For African Governments
IRIAD urged African governments and regional institutions, including the African Union, ECOWAS, and national governments, to implement Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) with clear timelines, budgets, and monitoring frameworks.
It said African leaders must integrate climate action into national development plans, agriculture, energy, health, education, and infrastructure, and protect the rights of women, youths, indigenous communities, and persons with disabilities in climate policies.
For Nigeria
For the Federal Government of Nigeria, IRIAD called for accelerated implementation of the Climate Change Act 2021, the Energy Transition Plan, and the National Adaptation Plan.
It urged Nigeria to prioritise renewable energy, climate-smart agriculture, flood control in the FCT and coastal states, reforestation in the North, and green jobs for youths.
“Nigeria cannot go to COP31 to make promises. We must go with evidence of action at home – in Jikwoyi, in Kano, in Borno, in Bayelsa. Climate change is already destroying farms, homes, and livelihoods,” the statement said.
For Private Sector, Civil Society
IRIAD also called on the private sector, investors, and financial institutions to invest in green infrastructure, renewable energy, and sustainable agriculture, and to adopt transparent Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) standards.
It urged civil society organizations, researchers, media, and youth groups to hold governments and corporations accountable, amplify grassroots voices, and ensure that climate solutions are inclusive and community-driven.
For Communities
The organization stressed that local communities must be at the centre of climate action.
“Farmers in Benue, fishermen in the Niger Delta, and pastoralists in the Sahel are the first victims of climate change. Their knowledge must shape policy. Climate finance must reach the Ward, not stop in Abuja,” IRIAD said.
*Conclusion*
IRIAD concluded that COP31 must not be another talk shop.
“COP31 must be the COP of implementation. Commitments must become projects. Pledges must become funding. Policies must become jobs, food security, and clean energy for the people,” it said.
The organization reaffirmed its commitment to research, innovation, and advocacy to ensure that climate action in Africa is evidence-based, inclusive, and sustainable.
