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President Muhammadu Buhari has urged African countries to continue to explore various measures to combat climate change, desertification, food insecurity and poverty across the continent.
He stated this at the 8th Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers of Pan-African Agency of the Great Green Wall (PAGGW).
Represented by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, the president said Nigeria plans to attain net zero emissions by 2060.
Buhari pledged $550,000 as Nigeria’s contribution to the building of the Great Green Wall Secretariat.
“Nigeria’s energy transition plan also focuses on how to creatively transit to net zero emissions and at the same time increase access to power and high agricultural and industrial output…it is important to emphasise that for Africa, mitigation and adaptation methods for climate change must be mindful of the fact that Africa is confronted with twin challenges. The ravages of climate change but perhaps more importantly the existential problem of extreme poverty. Both, not one, must be addressed,” he stated.
Nigeria is part of the African Union’s Great Green Wall initiative which aims to restore the continent’s degraded landscapes and transform millions of lives, while boosting food security, and strengthening climate resilience.
Highlighting the importance of tackling both poverty and climate change on the continent, the president stated “while the original vision was to create a wall of trees against desertification in the Sahel, the horn and across North Africa, the Great Green Wall today has a more ambitious reach—it is now a variety of sustainable land use practices designed to combat climate change and desertification and to address food insecurity and poverty.”
Noting the receding Lake Chad due to the effects of climate change, the resident said if this major challenge is not addressed urgently, “fishing, dry season farming and all other associated value chain benefits are lost or greatly reduced.”
