..Including The Net-zero Emissions Plan Faulted By Climate Activists
- To Meet US VP, Kamala Harris
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo early Wednesday jetted out of Abuja to the United States of America, alongside members of his high-level delegation in pursuit of global partnerships and support for Nigeria’s recently launched Energy Transition Plan.
Prof. Osinbajo is leading Nigeria’s Energy Transition Implementation Working Group (ETWG) on the US mission with meetings starting from tomorrow-the 1st of September to promote the plan and secure global support from the US government, the private sector, and other development partners.
The ETWG which is chaired by the VP comprises relevant ministers and other top government officials.
Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan officially launched last week at a global virtual event is a homegrown, data-backed and multi-pronged strategy developed for the attainment of 2060 net-zero emissions commitment in 5 critical sectors: Power, Cooking, Oil & Gas, Transport & Industry. Nigeria needs $410 billion to deliver the Transition Plan by 2060.
However, The New Diplomat had reported that the net-zero emissions plan, according to climate activists is a false solution to the climate crisis. This is as many had argued that in real sense, net-zero does not mean real zero, but gives polluting entities more time to pollute some more and push responsibility to future generations.
The Nigerian government had revealed that the energy transition plan needs at least $10 billion per annum above business as usual spending for effective implementation.
At the launch, the World Bank and a renewable energy organization – Sun Africa, pledged a sum of $1.5 billion each totaling an initial $3 billion investment to support the implementation of Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan.
While in the United States, Prof. Osinbajo will meet US Vice President, Kamala Harris; US Secretary of Energy, Jennifer Granholm; Secretary of Treasury, Janet Yellen, and President of World Bank Group, David Malpass, among others.
The Vice President is also scheduled to speak on Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan at the Centre for Global Development in Washington DC and he’s expected to return to Abuja early next week.
The Vice President’s delegation to the U.S. will include Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed; Minister of Works and Housing, Raji Babatunde Fashola; Minister of Power, Abubakar Aliyu; Minister of Environment, Mohammed Abdullahi; Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva and the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General/CEO for Sustainable Energy for All, Ms Damilola Ogunbiyi. Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States, Dr. Uzoma Emenike will also join the delegation.
