Group Renews Call For Climate Action As Perennial Flooding Wreaks Havoc In Nigeria

Posted by Eric Ojo Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Tuesday, October 18th, 2022

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – A frontline environmental organization, 350Africa.org has reiterated the need for climate action to support mitigation and adaptation measures, in order to avert even worse climate impacts due to global warming, which is exacerbated by the continued use of fossil fuels.

350Africa.org is an international movement of ordinary people working to end the age of fossil fuels and build a world of community-led renewable energy for all.

Its cardinal goal is to end the use of fossil fuels and transition to renewable energy by building a global, grassroots movement.

The group made the observation while responding to the recent wave of flooding in Nigeria which reportedly killed over 600 people, left over 200,000 homes destroyed and displaced 1.3 million people.

The West African nation is prone to seasonal flooding, which has been notably worse this year, with Nigeria’s meteorological agency warning that it could continue until the end of November, in some states.

Expressing its concern and empathy for those who have been affected by the disaster, which is widely described as the worst flooding witnessed in Nigeria in a decade, Africa350.org stressed the need for adaptation finance, specifically for developing nations to build resilience against climate impacts.

Regional Director of 350Africa.org, Landry Ninteretse said: “We are concerned about the devastation caused by the flooding in Nigeria, which the government has attributed to heavy rains and climate change. We stand in solidarity with our partners and communities affected by this disaster”.

According to him, African nations on the frontlines of the climate crisis are demanding greater urgency applied to measures aimed at mitigation against and adaptation to climate change.

He also noted that COP27, which starts in a few weeks, must define a concrete operationalisation plan to implement the Global Goal on Adaptation adopted last year in order to meaningfully support countries like Nigeria in their efforts to strengthen resilience and reduce vulnerability to climate impacts.

“We expect that developed nations will scale up funding for mitigation and adaptation as well as prioritise compensation for climate induced loss and damage suffered by the nations most affected by the climate crisis”, he added.

Similarly, a member of the Coal Free Nigeria campaign, David Michael Terungwa observed that the heavy rains and resultant flooding currently being experienced in Nigeria is evidence of the extreme climate impacts primarily driven by fossil fuels, adding that it is equally making homes uninhabitable, endangering lives, health and livelihoods.

“This is a signal that it is time for the world to move away from fossil fuels, as rapid and deep emission cuts are needed to avoid catastrophic climate impacts.

As our country plans to implement an energy transition plan, we urge the government to prioritise clean renewable energy and not false solutions such as fossil gas that will lead us down a perilous path”, he stressed.