Nigeria and Denmark are pushing for partnership in the area of green energy and fight against depleting effect of climate change.
Minister of State for Environment Iziaq Salako, disclosed this on Monday when he hosted Danish Minister of Development Cooperation and Global Climate Change Policy, Dan Jorgensen at the ministry headquarters in Abuja.
Salako said Nigeria and Denmark’s green transition partnership will boost employment and mutual economic growth.
He said the ministry was working towards avoiding disasters like floods that could drive people into poverty.
He said: “There is a need for food security; if the land is degraded, there cannot be food security; environmental actions to stop land degradation and poverty eradication disasters are taken seriously by the ministry.”
The minister added that climate change was a global issue that needed collaboration to resolve.
He said that the ministry also identifed five priority areas of President Bola Tinubu eight point agenda which requires climate action as the country transitions to green economy.
He noted that the meeting with the Danish team would help Nigeria navigate its economy to be less dependent on oil to a cleaner energy without increasing energy poverty, or increasing hardship for the citizens.
He said: “President Bola Tinubu has identify eight key priority areas that the administration is going to be focusing on, some of these priority areas are cross cutting priority areas in terms of anti corruption stance, priority areas in terms of inclusivity and so on, the Federal Ministry of Environment as identified that at least five of those priority areas requires climate action for it to be achieved, talking about food security, there’s a climate action to it, if the land is depleted, there cannot be food security, and is an environmental action to ensure that we stop depleted land.”.
He however, noted that the Ministry of Environment is also working to ensure that as the country transits to green economy, data would be leveraged to create jobs for people while also mobilising green financing.
“Our ministry has been piloting the sovereign green bond, which we’re about to do the third tranche so those are features that requires climate action to achieve, we also have 18 deliverables for the Federal Ministry of Environment, which are also very important to ensure that we need to achieve to achieve the agenda of the President and the current administration.”
“We are happy to receive the delegation from Denmark to share our experiences with them, to learn from them and they can also learn from us, so that there can be a cross fertilization of idea, because at the end of it all, effects of climate issue is a global issue.” The Minister stressed.
He noted that the aim of the visit was to discuss Nigeria Demark Green partnership and explore possible areas of cooperation in the light of Nigeria’s priorities for the green transition of the economy, and Climate Change adaptation ahead of COP28.
On his part, the Danish Minister of Development Cooperation and Global Climate Change Policy, promised to partner with Nigeria and Africa on the green economy.
He said: “We are aware of the plight of Nigeria and Africa on climate change and the need to partner in the areas of climate mitigation, financing, and adaptation.
“We want to set an example that can inspire others; we will learn from each other to partner for a positive result at the upcoming COP 28.”
