Climate change: Emission needs to be reduced by 45% — Prof. Afolabi
By Gloria Akudoro
Stakeholders in the environmental sector has said that in order to avert the worst impacts of climate change and preserve a liveable planet, emission needs to be reduced by 45 per cent by 2030.
This was disclosed at the 16th National Council on Environment (NCE) held recently, with its theme; ‘Pursuit of Zero Emissions: A Trajectory Towards Global Environment Renaissance.’
An annual meeting that brings together Commissioners, Permanent Secretaries and Directors from across the 36 states of the federation in a gigantic tent with the Honourable Minister spiral heading it to make a far reaching resolutions in order to move the environment sector forward.
Speaking at the meeting, Prof. Oladapo Afolabi, who was the Guest Lecturer, revealed that in order to avert the worst impacts of climate change and preserve a liveable planet, emission needs to be reduced by 45 per cent by 2030 and reach NetZero by 2050. “In other words, global temperature increase needs to be limited to 1.5°C above pre-industrial level.”
He said “The earth’s environment is complex, interactive system consisting of living things, atmosphere, land surface, snow and ice, ocean and other body’s of water, and without the natural greenhouse effect, this means temperature of the planet would be around 18°C.
Prof. Afolabi attributed these effects to increasing human activities polluting the air such as quantum amount of carbon dioxide from humans, vehicles, industrial plants, generators amongst others, amounting to release of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere, “therefore, less than the sun’s energy is able to escape causing the earth temperature to increase.
He added that “Giving an in-depth breakdown of the sources of greenhouse gases: waste and wastewater constitute 2.8 per cent, energy supply 25.9 per cent, transportation 13.1 per cent, industry 19.4 per cent, forestry 17.4 per cent, agriculture 13.5 per cent, while residential and commercial building is 7.9 per cent.
“According to Oando Clean Energy Report, Africa accounts for the smallest share of global greenhouse gas emissions at just 3.8 per cent in contrast to 23 percent in China, 19 per cent USA, and 13 percent EU. Whereas, Nigeria is ranked 4th in Africa emitting about 155 million metric tons of carbon dioxide.
However, he said it therefore, pertinent to plan and act towards the achievements of Net-Zero emissions and environmental sustainability and aid keep rise global average temperatures within the certain limits as there’s finite budget of carbon dioxide that’s allowed into the atmosphere alongside other greenhouse gases.
“Net-zero must be aligned with broader national sustainable development objectives, focusing on equitable net-zero transion, socio-ecological sustainability and the pursuit of broad economic opportunities for the benefit of all”, he urged.
Others present are stakeholders in the sector such as country representatives of the development partners United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), Food and Agriculture of the United Nations (FAO), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), NGOs, and Chairpersons Senate and House of Assembly Committee on Environment.
