President Muhammadu Buhari has pledged that Nigeria will cut its emissions to net zero by 2060.
Malam Garba Shehu, the President’s spokesman, in a statement said Buhari revealed this while delivering his national statement at COP26 Leaders’ Summit in Glasgow, Scotland.
The president said that attaining national and global climate change goals would require adequate and sustained technical and financial support to developing countries.
He said greater effort should be channelled towards assisting developing nations to meet their ‘‘Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) commitments through the pledges made by the developed countries to provide at least $100 billion yearly.’’
President Buhari noted that easier access to climate finance had become imperative in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, which really battered the economies of developing countries.
‘‘I do not think anyone in Nigeria needs persuading of the need for urgent action on the environment.
‘‘Desertification in the North, floods in the centre, pollution and erosion on the coast are enough evidence.
‘‘For Nigeria, climate change is not about the perils of tomorrow but what is happening today. Nigeria is committed to net zero by 2060.’’
While making a case for gas-based energy transition in Nigeria, President Buhari requested international partners to finance projects using transition fuels such as gas in Nigeria.
‘‘Parties to the Paris Agreement are expected to transit from fossil fuel to clean energy and reach a Net Zero ambition for greenhouse gases emission.
‘‘Nigeria is actually more of a gas than an oil producing country.
‘‘Consequently, I am requesting for financing of projects using transition fuels, such as gas.
‘‘Nigeria has energy challenges for which, we believe, gas can be used to balance a renewable energy-based system, be it wind or sun.
‘‘This would enable us launch the long-term renewable energy infrastructure procurements and investments needed to have a sustainable energy supply,” he added.
While acknowledging that net zero ambition can lead to economic transformation across all sectors, the Nigerian leader said it would require critical infrastructure to be in place.
President Buhari also told the COP26 Leaders’ Summit that Nigeria has developed a detailed energy transition plan and roadmap based on data and evidence.
He explained that the plan had highlighted some key facts that forces the difficult conversations.
‘‘Our transition plan also highlights the key role that gas will play in transitioning our economy across sectors, and the data and evidence shows that Nigeria can continue to use gas until 2040 without detracting from the goals of the Paris Agreement.