By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
Stakeholders have stressed the power of collaboration, creativity, and community engagement towards fostering sustainable development and combating climate change in Nigeria.
This was stated at a remote National Stakeholder Inception Meeting of the ‘Inclusive Climate Action in Nigeria’ Technical Assistance Deployment, organized by the Women’s Environment Program (WEP) Nigeria in collaboration with Le Groupe Conseil Baastel recently.
In her remarks, Director, Department of Climate Change, Federal Ministry of Environment, Dr. Iniobong Abiola-Awe said the challenges posed by climate change demand collaborative action.
The Director-General, National Council on Climate Change, Salisu Dahiru said implementation of climate change related actions need cooperation at all levels, cross sectoral engagements, international collaboration and supports.
Represented by, Chuks Okebugwu, he said that central to the efforts will be the promotion and scaling up corporation among relevant stakeholders towards implementation of climate actions.
Earlier, Dr. Priscilla Achakpa, the founder and Global President of the Women Environment Programme (WEP) said the Technical Assistance has a goal to “Contribute to enhanced implementation of gender-responsive climate change actions and the meaningful participation of women and vulnerable groups in climate change processes and leadership at sub-national levels in Nigeria.
The Women Environmental Programme (WEP) has received technical assistance from the Global Affairs Canada, to enhance inclusive climate action in Nigeria.
This Technical Assistance is under the Climate Action Africa project of the Global Affairs Canada, implemented by Alinea International, Econoler and WSP.
The Global Affairs Canada, has engaged Baastel, a Canadian-owned international development consulting firm to deliver this Technical Assistance.
The Technical Assistance which will run for the duration of 7 months is expected to see to Enhanced and meaningful participation and leadership of women and marginalized groups in national and sub-national climate dialogues and UNFCCC processes; strengthened capacity of relevant sub-national institutions (government and CSO) to implement gender-responsive climate change strategies and plans including notably the National Action Plan on Gender and Climate Change (NAPGCC); and increased awareness in the country on gender and climate change issues, including gender-responsive and socially inclusive climate solutions.
Other key activities of the Technical Assistance apart from the 1-day National Inception Stakeholders Meeting for stakeholders from different parts of the country are Participatory training of women’s and youth CSOs and networks from different parts of the country on climate leadership, negotiations and advocacy and In-country participatory training for the media from different parts of the country on influencing gender-responsive and socially inclusive climate action.
Others are in-country participatory training for climate change institutions of subnational governments from different parts of the country on integrating Gender Equality and Social Inclusion into climate change policies, plans, and programs; Provide remote technical support to the sub national governments to review/develop inclusive climate change plans, programs, or policies and Remote knowledge sharing/closure workshop on lessons learned, challenges, observations, recommendations for stakeholders from different parts of the country.
