Framework And Structures To Accelerate Just Transition In Nigeria
By Chetachi Louis-Udeh
In its November 22, 2022 edition of the Just Energy Transition (JET) radio project under the Extractive Industry and Climate Change Governance Project titled, ”From Exclusion to Inclusion in National Just Transition Plans”, Spaces for Change looked at the framework and structures to accelerate Just Transition in Nigeria.
The topic was extensively discussed by environmental experts Mr. Amechi Umerah, of the Department of Environmental Sciences, Federal University of Science and Technology (FUTO) Owerri, and Engr. Nicholas Chuks, an Energy and Environmental Engineer with Elisco Solar Company, Germany.
The experts who spoke on Nigeria’s ongoing energy transition plan, urged listeners to embrace and support the government to actualize a planned green economy by year 2060.
Umerah, stressed that the ecosystems in Nigeria are gradually being eroded requiring a timely intervention to be put in place to act as a safeguard. “For instance, clean air, land, soil for food production, water both surface and underground, living organisms are affected adversely by climate change enabled by depletion of the ozone layer,” he said.
He emphasised that corresponding action and commitment on the part of government and the private sector towards the implementation of the strategic plans, as laid out by Nigeria, at COP 26 Glasgow and the just concluded COP 27 in Egypt 2022, would result in less dependence on fossil fuel and decarbonize the economy.
Calling in from Germany, Engr. Nicholas Chuks, stated that Nigeria needs to increase its capacity of energy production and ensure its accessibility to all citizens at little or no cost, particularly to the rural dwellers, while tasking government on the need to include all concerned particularly the local voices and marginalized perspectives, in the transition process. The project is supported by Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP).
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