By Emma Okereh
Biodiversity expert from Nigeria, Mrs Edel-Quinn Agbaegbu, is one of those lined up to present a speech which started yesterday, Sunday, as a stakeholder invitee and also lead Every Woman Hope Centre (EWHC), an NGO she founded in Nigeria, to host a Side Event at the four day “2021 Africa Climate Week” , a virtual conference, hosted by the government of Uganda.
The program which the organizers said will be characterized by virtual thematic sessions is being promoted as a momentum-building activity, preparatory to the United Nations Climate Change, Conference of Parties, COP 26, in Glasgow, Scotland, from October 31 to November 12, 2021.
Also organized , among other reasons, to take the pulse of climate action in the African region, explore climate challenges and opportunities, and showcase ambitious solutions, the ACW 21 program is being hosted in collaboration with global partners: the United Nation’s Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), United Nations Development Program (UNDP), United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), the World Bank Group, East Africa Development Bank (EADB), Africa Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA ).
The Media Office of EWHC explained in a statement yesterday that Mrs Agbaegbu who is also Nigeria’s Representative in CBD’s Voluntary Peer Review Process, NBSAP, ‘’will speak about modest efforts being made by the NGO to mobilize strategic plans and actions for public awareness on biosafety and biodiversity sustainability, as well as climate change mitigation through climate action, to halt environmental degradation and enhance partnership with nature, especially in Africa.’’
Sonny Nwosu, Media Affairs Coordinator for EWHC explained in a press statement that Mrs Agbaegbu’s speech, is in furtherance to the NGO’s widely publicised commitment to help in raising awareness on the urgent need to halt the loss of biodiversity and restore healthy ecosystems. ‘’The commitment is part of the positive actions for the Action Agenda, to set the stage for an ambitious post-2020 global biodiversity framework (GBF), to be adopted in the COP 15 at Kunming, China by April, 2022. It is the first of 205 global commitments so far, for the Sharm El-Sheik to Kunming Action Agenda for nature and people’’, Nwosu said .
He further explained that through EWHC’s commitment and efforts to advance collaborative action in the Africa region, the NGO has been communicating positive actions to address climate change, towards reducing the worst impacts of climate change across Africa.
Nwosu stated also that in a December 8, 2020 webinar with the theme; “Motivating Strategic Plans and Actions for Public Awareness on Biosafety and Biodiversity, to Enhance Partnership with Nature”, EWHC collaborated with representatives from four African countries which include; Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Nigeria and South Africa, as well as the SCBD. Up to this moment, EWHC has continued to facilitate the exchange of information and sharing of experiences and lessons learned, to sustain actions to reinforce climate resilience through integrated climate solutions across Africa.
Advancing reasons why EWHC accepted the invitation to be part of the ACW program, Nwosu said that EWHC and its founder, Mrs Agbaegbu have become key players in matters of the environment and biodiversity related issues in Africa and the global community.
He explained also that EWHC has put in great efforts in advancing significant initiatives to build forward, so as to open opportunities to address social inequalities and invest in economic development that is good for humanity and nature.
He emphasized EWHC’s commitment towards the actualization of the ultimate objective of all agreements under the UNFCCC, to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that will prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system, in a time frame which allows ecosystems to adapt naturally and enables sustainable development. ‘’It is no surprise therefore, that the NGO is being identified and given a role to play towards building climate resilience in key systems, such as food security, water, health, ecosystems and nature-based solutions”, the media officer of EWHC said.
In further demonstration of the appreciation and enthusiasm of EWHC and its founder to be a part of the ACW events, Nwosu stated that It is a good coincidence that the ACW 2021, has offered additional opportunity to EWHC to proffer ideas and participate in discussions for a holistic and integrated approach to climate change and to demonstrate the interlinkages and interdependencies between sustainable development and climate change, to make informed policy choices towards low-carbon and climate-resilient sustainable development.
He stated that the NGO will not relent in advancing its commitment to build inclusivity into the heart of planning processes, including responsive adaptation and implementation, with focus on women, youth, local communities and indigenous peoples.
In a concluding statement, Nwosu said: ‘’EWHC will continue to join to actively fight the global health emergency and cannot underestimate the ongoing impacts of Climate Change. EWHC is poised to accelerate positive efforts to promote coordination and policy coherence at different governance levels; sub-national and national, private sector engagement and enhance synergy between different frameworks towards post-COVID 19 recovery alignment.’’
