Ayo Ola
The Chairman of the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resources Centre), Olanrewaju Suraju, has urged the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to support a just energy transition in Nigeria by endorsing the call for a fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty on behalf of the Lagos State Government.
He stated that it was imperative to address climate changes and threats.
Suraju in a letter to Sanwo-Olu, that was made available to journalists on Thursday raised the alarm that Nigeria and Africa in general, are not immune to the climate crisis.
He stated that the reality of climate injustice in Africa is that the continent has “only contributed 2% of cumulative global emissions from 1890 to the present. Yet relative to other continents, it is projected to be hardest and fastest hit by climate change and to have the least resources to manage its consequences.”
According to him, the main culprits driving this climate emergency are coal, oil, and gas.
The HEDA boss decried that climate change threatens the lives of Nigerians and Africans in general; the communities, the ecosystems and the economies.
He stated that to stave off these threats, the world is moving in a new direction, one that is powered by renewable energy.
According to him, more than 190 nations have become signatories to the Paris Agreement to limit emissions fuelling climate change.
He added that countries such as Costa Rica, Denmark, Belize, and New Zealand, and many others are ending new licensing and placing moratoriums to phase out fossil fuel production.
He further said the Beyond Oil & Gas Alliance, (BOGA), created by Costa Rica and Denmark, is a growing international coalition of governments facilitating a managed phase-out of oil and gas in their countries.
Suraju said, “We, as civil society advocates and environmental activists, are writing to the Governor of Lagos State to support a just energy transition in Nigeria by endorsing the call for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty on behalf of the Lagos State Government.
As a continent, and as a country, we are far from immune to climate chaos. In fact, the reality of climate injustice in Africa is that we have “only contributed 2% of cumulative global emissions from 1890 to the present. Yet relative to other continents, it is projected to be hardest and fastest hit by climate change and to have the least resources to manage its consequences,” (Tucker & Resich, 2021)
“The main culprits driving this climate emergency are coal, oil, and gas. “Fossil fuels are, by far, the largest contributor to global climate change, accounting for over 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions and nearly 90% of all carbon emissions,” (SEI et al., 2019) and these trends are not abating. The world is currently on track “to produce more than double the amount of fossil fuels in 2030 than would be consistent with limiting warming to 1.5C,” (SEI et al., 2021).
“This threatens our lives, our communities, our ecosystems and our economies. To stave off these threats, the world is moving in a new direction, one that is powered by renewable energy. More than 190 nations have become signatories to the Paris Agreement to limit emissions fuelling climate change. Countries such as Costa Rica, Denmark, Belize, and New Zealand, and many others are ending new licensing and placing moratoriums to phase out fossil fuel production. The Beyond Oil & Gas Alliance, (BOGA), created by Costa Rica and Denmark, is a growing international coalition of governments facilitating a managed phase-out of oil and gas in their countries.
“Our demands are: Endorsing the call for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty on behalf of the Lagos State Government.
“Popularising and democratising the electrification policy by Lagos State Government to involve all stakeholders and reduce the dependency on polluting energy sources such as diesel generators.
“Recognising and communicating the threat of the climate emergency to Nigeria’s coastal states, rally these states to support the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty and pressure the national government to take action on equitable fossil fuel phase-out and a just energy transition.
“I hereby invite partners, colleagues, and activists to join in signing a joint letter for Lagos State, through its governor to lead the Nigeria’s just transition from fossil fuel by signing the global Fossil Fuel non-proliferation treaty. The link to the sign-on is here and a copy of the letter is also https://hedang.org/blog/”