Climate Justice in Nigeria Climate Change: Nigeria to Pay over $460 billion Abuja, Nigeria. Nigeria is one of the countries that hugely hit by the impacts of climate change. By 2050, it is estimated that Nigeria needs over $460 billion,
which corresponds to 30 percent of its GDP, to combat the effects of climate change. In the press conference after the COP21 in France, Amina Mohammed, the Nigerian Minister of Environment, said that climate change is a reality that poses growing threats to Nigeria. According to her, the "impacts are threatening the livelihoods of every Nigeria as 70 percent of country's population relies on climate-sensitive activities for income. Its impacts aggravate regional conflicts and breeding ground for terrorism in the North East". Nigeria rated as one of the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world. She stated that "by 2050, climate change could cost Nigeria between 6 percent and 30 percent of its GDP $100 billion to $460 billion." However, the Minister expressed the readiness of the Nigerian government to actively engage in local oriented climate projects as well as promote green economy. According to her, "the new leadership team is extremely well-placed to deliver on this agenda. In order to assist Nigeria overcome these challenges, it is pursuing international partnerships that can support the country with technology, capacity building and finance". While speaking on the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs), Mrs. Mohammed said that Nigeria is committed to reducing 20 percent unconditional and 45 percent conditional GHG emissions. She said that realizing this goal will not only help save the ecology, which is already at the verge of collapsing, but also, it will create economic and development opportunities. Finally, she noted that the fight against impacts of climate change cannot be won alone; it requires collaborations and partnerships both on the regional level and the global level. According to her "we are joining developing countries that are also embarking upon development paths that would combine lower emission development and economic growth". All this depends on the 1.5°C goal from the Paris Agreement as she additionally stated in an interview (see below). In the interview, she shares a far more positive view on the COP21 than another member of the EJI has expressed (see here). She concludes in the same sense at the press conference that in "this way we can improve the lives of millions people here". |  Image: © Riccardo Niels Mayer |
