Date Published: 09/15/09

Nigeria to seek compensation for Climate Change

Nigeria and other African Countries will explore the possibility of obtaining compensation for the negative impacts of Climate Change as a result of carbon emissions from the developed countries.

Minister of Environment, John Odey expressed this possibility in Abuja at meeting with the Swedish Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Per Lindgrade as part of the inter-governmental consultations towards the Climate Change Conference holding in Denmark in December this year.

According to the Minister,  Africa had agreed to speak as one voice at the upcoming conference because it had been realised that Africa will be worst hit by the impacts of Climate Change.

He said, “we in Africa have agreed to speak with one voice and see how we can be compensated for the negative impacts of Climate Change.”

The Minister pointed out that Nigeria would like to collaborate with Sweden, the current President of the European Union (EU),  to make a success of the Copenhagen Conference in December adding that Sweden had set a track record of being at the fore front of promotion of clean environment and renewable energy.

He solicited the support of Sweden in the area of technological training and capacity building so that Nigeria would be adequately equipped in adaptation strategies.

The Minister stressed that at the Copenhagen meeting should clearly make the issue Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) more accessible to the African Countries which contributed little to Carbon Emission but would be most vulnerable to the negative impacts.

He also advised Sweden to be cautious on the idea carbon tax regime as a response measure to cutting emission adding that any scheme outside the CDM might not be generally acceptable.

The Minister called on the developed nations to explore the possibility of making fossil  fuel environmentally friendly through evolving appropriate technology.

In his comment, the Swedish Ambassador pointed out that his meeting with the Nigerian Minister of Environment was part of the desire of the European Union Presidency to reach comprehensive agreement at the upcoming Copenhagen Conference.

He noted that the European Union had already made commitment to 20% cut in Carbon Emission by 2020 and that the developed countries had greater responsibility to evolving new carbon strategies.

“EU is committed to contributing its fair share of financing to adaptation and mitigation. Let us jointly use the window of opportunities that Copenhagen offers”