Nigeria, EU Seek Binding Agreement at Climate Summit

Abuja, Nigeria | December 07, 2009 by D-8 Secretariat

Nigeria and EU expressed a need for an effective, equitable, ambitious, comprehensive and legally binding global agreement

In what they have described as historical record, the African nations and led by Nigeria and countries in the European Union, have called for a more legally binding agreement from the developed countries at the coming conference in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The two groups, at a roundtable meeting with journalists in Abuja last week, stressed their concerns on the common but differentiated responsibilities of developed and developing countries.

Nigeria, one of 10 African countries charged by the African Union to forge an African Common Position, will be leading the technical group in the Conference of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change, while Sweden currently holds the Presidency of the European Union and leads negotiations on its behalf at the Climate Summit.

According to them, Copenhagen must go down in history as the crossroads where the World changed direction.

In a joint release after the meeting, they expressed that there is need for an effective, equitable, ambitious, comprehensive and legally binding global agreement, adding that developing countries need to be furnished with resources, capacities and technology to adapt to unavoidable climate change and embark on a low carbon development path. “All commitments flowing from the new regime must be monitored, verifiable and measureable,” the statement said.

Minister of Environment, Mr. John Odey noted, “We owe it to ourselves and to our future generations - those who cannot join us at the negotiating table, but will suffer most.”

Noting that the world must rally around the 2oC target and without further delay take bold steps and pointed that Africa and the EU - which are the region most vulnerable to climate change and the world’s largest economic bloc respectively - share this sense of urgency.

The release acknowledged that developed countries have the primary responsibility on mitigation and financing, as well as subscribing to substantial emission cuts and funding.

“Climate change is real and we know what it takes to avert its dangerous effects. It is now a question of mustering the political will,” it read in part.

Swedish Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Per LindgŠrde observed that it is truly promising that Africa and the EU have exerted leadership and “that our two regions arrive Copenhagen with common views on key issues, since when we move together, climate negotiations have historically moved forward.”

They agreed that Climate Change is a central element of the “Nigeria-EU Joint Way Forward”, the tool for political dialogue and relation-building between the entities.

Gas project to gulp N460 million

Meanwhile, the European Union has said it would soon kick off the project for the utilisation of Nigeria’s gas and renewable energy resources, estimated at N460 million (2.3 million Euros).

A statement from the EU on Sunday said the project, EU SUNGAS, would be funded by the European Union, and would be implemented by the International Institute for Energy Development, UK.

It said the project would improve access to energy by Nigeria’s citizens from renewable and non renewable sources and would be situated and implemented in the Niger Delta region over the next three years.

A launching ceremony is being organised by the EU slated for Monday, December 7, 2009, at the conference hall of the Valencia Hotel in Abuja.

The ceremony, the statement said, would give the general public the opportunity to know more about the project.

The event would be attended by the representatives of the current Presidency of the European Union, Sweden, EU member states and the Delegation of the European Union in Nigeria.
News Source: Guardian News & the Punch

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