By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
Stakeholders have met to validate Nigeria’s second Biennial Update Report (BUR2) and first National Green House Gases Inventory Report (NIR1).
The three-day workshop was organised by the Department of Climate Change (DCC) of the Federal Ministry of Environment, with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Keffi, Nasarawa State.
The Biennial Update Report (BUR) was adopted in 2010/COP16 for the purpose of enhancing reporting of mitigation actions and their effects.
Nigeria as one of the non-Annex1 Parties under the UNFCCC has the obligation to prepare and submit every two (2) years, reliable, comprehensive, consistent, comparable and transparent BUR to the COP.
Nigeria has submitted her First Biennial Update Report (BUR1).
Following the successful completion and submission of the BUR1, Nigeria has completed her first stand-alone National Inventory Report(NIR1), as well as her second Biennial Update Report(BUR2), both requiring assessment and review by relevant stakeholders for final validation.
Towards ensuring gender mainstreaming of the Biennial Update Report (BUR2) in line with Nigeria’s intention to empower and respond to the needs of women within the context of climate change, the BUR2 is required to align with Nigeria’s National Action Plan on Gender and Climate Change.
The National Action Plan on Gender and Climate Change focuses on effective strategies for integrating gender into the implementation of national climate change initiatives, the Paris Agreement and the National Reporting.
Declaring the meeting open, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment, Mr. Abel Enitan, expressed delight that participants cut across different Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Research Institutions, Academia, Gender Organizations and the Private Sector.
The speech read on his behalf by the Acting Director, DCC, Mrs Halima Bawa-Bwari noted that Nigeria adopted a participatory process during the preparation of the BUR1, at the national level, undergoing rigorous process through various technical studies, collaborative activities, consultations and workshops at various stages of the preparation process.
He said: “Generally, the BUR Document holistically looks at Nigeria’s National Circumstances, National Greenhouse Gas Inventory which covers the Energy, Industrial Process and Product use (IPPU), Agriculture, Forest and Other Land Use (AFOLU) and Waste sectors, information on Mitigation actions and their effects, the Monitoring, Reporting and Verification system and Constraints and Gaps, and Support received and needed.
“As a milestone of achievement, following the successful completion and submission of the BUR1, Nigeria has also prepared and completed her first stand-alone National Inventory Report (NIR1), as well as her second Biennial Update Report (BUR2), both requiring assessment and review by relevant stakeholders for final validation.
“Following the unveiling of the Nigeria’s Gender Action Plan, I am delighted to inform that the BUR2 is required to align with Nigeria’s National Action Plan on Gender and Climate Change as the document focuses on effective strategies for integrating gender into the implementation of national climate change initiatives, the Paris Agreement and National Reporting.
The Permanent Secretary commended the UNDP for usual support received for programmes. The Ag. Director, DCC speech said the purpose of the Biennial Update Report (BUR) is to enhance reporting of mitigation actions and their effects.
She said: “Nigeria as one of the non Annex 1 Parties under the UNFCCC has the obligation to prepare and submit every two (2) years, transparent, accurate, comprehensive, consistent and comparable Biennial Update Report to the Conference of Parties (COP).
“I wish to update us that so far, three (3) National Communications: FNC, SNC & TNC respectively have been submitted to the UNFCCC. In addition to these, one (1) Biennial Update Report (BUR1) has also been submitted.
“Subsequent to the launch of Nigeria’s Gender Action Plan and towards enabling gender mainstreaming, the Biennial Update Report (BUR2) in line with Nigeria’s intention to empower and respond to the needs of women within the context of climate change, the BUR2 is required to align with Nigeria’s National Action Plan on Gender and Climate Change.
In her presentation, the Coordinator, Nigeria’s National Reporting to the UNFCCC (National Communications, BUR, NIR), Dr. Iniobong Abiola-Awe, said that under the Convention, Nigeria is required to provide data on its greenhouse gas emissions on annual basis; National Communications periodically, reporting on progress in reducing its net greenhouse gas emissions; Enact policies and measures to address greenhouse gases; Access and document the financial and technological resources provided to it as developing country Party to help address Climate Change and Conduct; and document its systematic observations of the climate system and research on Climate Change and its impacts.
Abiola-Awe listed the benefits of National Reporting to include tracking the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); Providing coherent data for national policy-making; Increasing political buy-in for climate issues at the National Level.
Other benefits includes enhancing national capacities by involving a large number of stakeholders from a variety of National Institutions in the operationalization of the MRV system; Increasing the involvement of the private sector in climate actions; and improved access to funding.
Some of the participants asked that more attention be given to the issue of gender in order to address the challenges hampering effective waste management across the country.
They agreed that it is important to critically focus on that dimension because waste is something that is generated and used by every human being.
They also want oil and gas to be considered under the industrial processes because of the countless emissions that are generated in the industry.
They canvassed for more women to be encouraged and mainstreamed into participating in the oil and gas business.
“Who owns waste?” asked Professor Emmanuel Oladipo. “So, the gender aspect of waste is a very complex one.” Prof. Oladipo stressed that the workshop has brought out the challenges of trying to write gender analysis very clearly.
“It is a very good beginning as all that we are going to be writing in the review will now have a lot of cross-cutting issues that can properly be analysed,” he said.
Mrs Titilope Akosa, Executive Director, Centre for 21st Century Issues Nigeria in her paper titled ‘Perspectives on Mainstreaming Gender into BUR2 and MRV report’ stated that demography must be disaggregated by sex.
She also said the the report should highlight women participation in the economy and impact of economic growth on feminine poverty. Highlight gender and energy poverty issue and impact of investment in nuclear energy and feminine views.
She also suggested that the DCC may consider having a gender unit to enable gender mainstreaming within the institution.
“DCC may consider a unit of agricultural lands and climate change management services for possible capacity enhancement in the future. There is new gender and agriculture policy that needs to be reflected.
“There is need to reflect UNFCCC gender mandate and gender aspects of the Paris Agreement,” Akosa added.
