Buhari commits to achieving net-zero emissions by 2060 at Glascow

Solomon Ezeme

World leaders are gathered in Glasgow, Scotland discussing key issues that affect the human ecosystem, mainly on implementing the long-awaited COP26 Agenda.

President Muhammadu Buhari, has promised that Nigeria would attain net-zero emissions by 2060. He made the commitment while speaking at the ongoing COP26 summit taking place in Glasgow, Scotland where world leaders are gathered to discuss key issues that affect the human ecosystem.

He affirm Nigeria’s support to the actualisation of the meeting objective which includes cutting greenhouse gas emissions and slowing down global warming. Buhari said Nigeria has seen the urgency in meeting the global demand for decarbonization and would get itself prepared to reach net-zero emissions, come 2060.

“I do not think anyone in Nigeria needs persuading of the need for urgent action on the environment. Desertification in the North, floods in the centre, pollution and erosion on the coast are enough evidence.

‘‘For Nigeria, climate change is not about the perils of tomorrow but what is happening today. Nigeria is committed to net zero by 2060,” he said.

President Buhari seized the opportunity to call on the international community to support Nigeria and other developing nations in the effect to realize the climate change goals as well as executing other national initiatives that contribute to the growth of their economies.

“Attaining national and global climate change goals will require adequate and sustained technical and financial support to developing countries.

‘‘Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) commitments through the pledges made by the developed countries to provide at least $100 billion yearly,” he said.

While addressing the world leaders and other key stakeholders present at the summit, the President advocated for energy transition in Nigeria through gas and added that the country needs international financial supports to fund its gas projects.

‘‘Parties to the Paris Agreement are expected to transit from fossil fuel to clean energy and reach a Net Zero ambition for greenhouse gases emission.

‘‘Nigeria is actually more of a gas than an oil producing country. Consequently, I am requesting for financing of projects using transition fuels, such as gas.

‘‘Nigeria has energy challenges for which, we believe, gas can be used to balance a renewable energy-based system, be it wind or sun.

‘‘This would enable us launch the long-term renewable energy infrastructure procurements and investments needed to have a sustainable energy supply,” he noted.

In a recent publication by EnergyDay, the President had advised the global community to be fair with the international restrictions placed on the country, including the withdrawal of support from funding fossil fuel-related projects in Nigeria, aimed at making it bow to global pressure of attaining net-zero emissions, in the shortest possible time.

This new timeline set by the Presidency at Glascow is a 10-year extension of the previous 2050 deadline set for attaining net-zero emissions in the country.

The President had also maintained that the country will make do of its abundant gas resource to achieve a smooth landing in its bid to transit from fossil fuel to cleaner energy.