- expands committee on green economy
By Tolúlopé Olátúnjí
The Federal Government has approved the terms of office for the newly established Office of the Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action (SPEC), aimed at enhancing Nigeria’s climate and green economy initiatives.
A press release issued by the Director for Information and Public Relations, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Segun Imohiosen on Sunday, said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has given instructions on the responsibilities of SPEC.
According to the statement, the SPEC will act as the lead negotiator on climate-related matters for the FG, and brief the President. It also says that the office will serve as lead negotiator on carbon market and management initiatives, while integrating the work of the Intergovernmental Committee on National Carbon Market Activation Plan (NCMAP) into the federal climate action plans.
Accordingly, SPEC will stand in as “the supervising interface between the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) Secretariat and the NCCC Supervising Council, chaired by the President.”
The statement noted that While SPEC will act as a focal point for the country’s engagement with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Conference of the Parties (COP) meetings, and other international climate-related meetings, it will also coordinate all climate action-related activities across federal ministries, departments, agencies, legislative, and subnational entities, engaging with other nations and international organizations to advance global climate goals in line with Nigeria’s national interest.
The statement reads in part on the role of SPEC : “Represent Nigeria in all climate-related engagements and negotiations, while supervising the Energy Transition Office. The office will “coordinate federal efforts to fulfill Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs),s serving as the secretary of the Presidential Committee on Climate Action and Green Economic Solutions, chaired by the President.”
Furthermore SPEC will “oversee non-executive activities of the NCCC, reporting frequently to the President, while having an “interface with key federal institutions on climate-related donor finance, renewable energy finance, and green industrial growth management. It will also “chair the Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen.”
The state noted further that Tinubu has expanded the membership of the Presidential Committee on Climate Action and Green Economic Solutions (P-CAGE) to include representatives from the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources (Gas), the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science & Technology, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), and the Energy Transition Office.The Special Assistant to the President on Energy Transition, Ms. Yasmin Mohammed, and Mr. Somkele Awa-Kalu from the Energy Transition Office.”
The Presidential Committee on Climate Action and Green Economic Solutions is set to be inaugurated in July 2024.
Tinubu also called for diligence, dedication, and patriotism in the execution of the national assignments to advance his administration’s climate action and green industrial growth agenda for the long-term benefit of Nigeria and Africa.
