CLIMATE CHANGE, LIVELIHOOD AND PUBLIC POLICY RESOURCES IN NIGERIA

1. CLIMATE CHANGE, LIVELIHOOD AND PUBLIC POLICY RESOURCES IN NIGERIA • Prof. Chinedum Nwajiuba • Vice-Chancellor, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Nigeria • Keynote Paper at IPPAM Public Policy Dialogue on Climate Change, Livelihoods and Public Policy Responses in Nigeria, Thursday 31st May, Benue Hall, International Conference Centre, Abuja

2. Introduction • Contemporary climate change is not due to current emissions but accumulated effects of emissions since the industrial revolution, of which Nigeria and other Less Developed countries are not culpable. • Nigeria has increased industrial and non-industrial actions lately which contribute to increase in anthropogenic emissions, greenhouse gas (GHG), and average global temperature. • Projections for Nigeria suggests the possibilities of sea level rise from the 1990 levels to 0.3m by 2020 and 1m by 2050, and for the temperature factor, a high rise of up to 3.2 degrees C by 2050 at the upper limit (DFID, 2009). • Up to a meter (M) rise of sea level translates to a loss of about 75% of the Niger Delta land area

3. Table 1: The projected trends in climatestressors in Nigeria by ecological zone

5. Why focus on Agriculture and climate change impact in Nigeria? • Agriculture is an important sector because of its contribution to GDP and employment. • The largest contributor to GDP and employs more than 70 per cent of Nigerians (Central Bank of Nigeria, 2015; Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, 2014). • Nigeria’s agriculture is very vulnerable to climate change because its activities and value-chains are sensitive to weather vagaries.

6. The impact of climatechange on agriculture • Disrupting value chains and undermining the important role of the value chains in economic development, food security, employment and income generation, livelihood and poverty reduction (Terdoo and Feola, 2016; Daze and Dekens, 2016). • Climate change manifested as extreme weather events, manifesting in floods, drought, among others, which threaten the livelihood of Nigerians, which is mainly agricultural value-chain based. • This link between climate change impacts and agricultural livelihood worsens poverty in Nigeria

7. NATIONAL POLICY RESPONSESTO CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS • The following policies are at the National level: • 1. National Policy on Environment (2014): The goal is to ‘ensureenvironmentalprotectionandtheconservationofnaturalresourcesforsustainabledevelopment’. •  2. National Climate Change Policy Response and Strategy (2012): Aimed at facilitating the lowering of carbon, high growth economic development path and building a climate resilient society. • 3. National Adaptation Strategy and Plan of Action on Climate Change for Nigeria (NASPA-CCN)

8. On the NASPA-CCN • NASPA-CCN was a very practical example of evidence-based policy document. • The methodology of the NASPA-CCN development specifies how it was done, with evidence driven from research and project partners’ inputs, the process of development, how results were mainstreamed into policy starting with the Climate Change Adaptation Strategy Technical Report (CCASTR). • The process leading to the NASPA-CCN document represents a classical and successful evidence-approach to policy development. • NASPA-CCN was acknowledged prior to the COP18 in Doha by the UNFCCC as one model policy document that other countries could learn from. • Unfortunately, the recommendations specified in the NASPA-CCN have not been implemented and is due for review.

9. 4. Agricultural Promotion Policy (2016) • Within this was included a sustainability and climate conscious approach to improving the agricultural sector. • Aimed at: • boosting public awareness through advertising the importance of climate-smart agriculture; • ensuring climate smart agricultural governance, legislations and financial mechanisms; • promoting the use of renewable energy and the involvement of private sector; • increase the adoption of global best practices on climate change, including the aspects of adaptation, mitigation and carbon credit.

10. Other National policies • 5. National Policy on Drought and Desertification • 6. Drought Preparedness Plan (2007) • 7. National Policy on Erosion, Flood Control and Coastal Zone Management (2005) • 8. National Forest Policy (2006) • 9. National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan(2004) • 10. Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) • 11. National Determined Contribution (NDC) • 12. National Agricultural Resilience Framework

11. ERGP VERSUS NDC • On the NDC • In preparation for COP 21 in Paris, national governments developed their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs). The attainment of this was considered success of the COP 21. • “INDCs are a result of a country-led process to agree on the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, and climate change adaptation commitments in the form of targets, policies and actions” (Oladipo, 2017). • Nigeria’s INDCs became NDC in March 2017 when Nigeria ratified the Paris Accord. • On the ERGP • The Economic Recovery Growth Plan (ERGP) is regarded as the roadmap for the management of the economy.

12. ERGP VERSUS NDC: SOME DIVERGENCES - 1 • The ERGP in some instances is inconsistent with Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) which should be the pillar of sustainable development in the country. • Examples • The NDC intends to work towards off-grid solar of 13,000 megawatts while the ERGP hopes to add 1,100 megawatts of solar energy to the national grid (on-grid). • The NDC will work towards ending gas flaring by 2030 while the ERGP is so much interested in urgently increasing oil production. • The ERGP projects a 2% reduction of gas flaring by 2020 as against complete elimination by 2030 under the NDC; 3000mw solar deployment in the next four years etc. • Although the six priority areas under the ERGP seem to overlap with the NDC’s five sector plans, there is huge variance in the overall objectives and activities under the overlapped sectors.

13. ERGP VERSUS NDC: SOME DIVERGENCES - 2 • NDC and the Green Alternative (Agriculture Promotion Policy) considers climate smart agriculture, a practice which seeks to increase productivity/yield, adaptation, resilience and mitigation, as the main climate change response for Nigeria’s agriculture. • The environmental sustainability section in the ERGP seems to have a casual mention of climate change. • What is the nexus between these two documents? • If the NDC is supposed to be the “central pillar” of Nigeria’s development policy as envisaged in the draft implementation plan, then there seem to be a missing link between the ERGP and the NDC. • Therefore, the ambitions laid down in the ERGP cannot be met without due consideration of the impacts of climate change and its potential to retard or even stop any development effort in Nigeria. • This is a potential gap

14. SOME STATE POLICY RESPONSESTO CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS • Lagos State Climate Change Policy (2012) • the policy draft was aimed at fostering sustainable development in the State through harmonised and coordinated strategies, programmes and actions to combat climate change. • Delta State Climate Change Policy (2009) • the major goal of the policy is to secure a future of a low carbon economy in order to promote a more sustainable development for Delta State through harmonized and coordinated strategies, programmes and actions to combat climate change.

15. INSTITUTIONAL REFORMS AND REGULATORY RESPONSES TO CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE AGRICULTURAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES SECTORS • Department of climate change in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. • The National Agricultural Resilience Framework of 2014 needs to be implemented. • The Natural Resources Sector • The Water resources sub-sector has seen national government involvements coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and the eleven River Basin Development Authorities. However measures are still lacking to move from the socio-economic development of the water sources to adapting effectively to climate changes. • The Forest resources sub-sector is taken care of under the Federal Ministry of Environment (FME) which is at the core of climatic and environmental issues.

16. THE RELEVANT ROLES OF THE FME • Define broad policy framework; • Provide selected service functions such as environmental impact assessment (EIA) and environmental data management; • Assist in developing and improving environmental legal and regulatory framework; • Manage ecosystems and promote sustainable use of natural resources; • Enforce environmental quality norms (NBSAP, 2008). • Other agencies involved include; National Parks Services, Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, National Center for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology and the Universities. • The Fisheries sub-sector which is anchored under the ministry of agriculture at the federal level

17. INNOVATIVE PUBLIC SECTOR FINANCING FRAMEWORKS ENHANCING NATIONAL AND STATE LEVEL RESPONSE TO CLIMATE CHANGES • Tackling the problems of climate change requires weighty commitments at National and State levels. • It requires significant funding. • An estimate of US$ 86 billion is needed worldwide annually for adaptation by 2015 (Human Development Report (UNDP, 2008) • United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) secretariat estimates that additional investment and financial flows needed worldwide will be $60 billion to $182 billion by 2030.

18. Nigeria and the required financial initiatives • Nigeria needs to take steps in various dimensions towards providing financing initiatives. • Nigeria does not yet to be an explicitly stipulated and core recognized funding for this (Nigeria’s Second National Communication, 2014). • There is need for climate change policies implementations and actions to be funded via the national budget. Notwithstanding, • Nigeria is party to the ECOWAS and African Union (AU) under which auspices she is actively involved in activities aimed at tackling climate change and from where it derives some sponsorship of these challenges. • At the National and State levels the country has keyed into various Regional and International financing initiatives for climate change mitigation and adaptation. • These are; UNFCCC funding, • the Ecological Fund, and • Adaptation Fund of Nigeria, • the Kyoto Protocol Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), • the United Nations REDD programme.

19. NATIONAL AND STATE COORDINATION OF POLICY AND PROGRAMME RESPONSES TO CLIMATE CHANGE - 1 • The synergy between the Federal and State governments is defined in their functions and structures. • The Federal Ministry of Environment has the overarching responsibility in climate change matters through the Department of Climate Change (DCC); • The Federal government establishes the legal and institutional frameworks, plans and priorities setting and facilitating climate change adaptation in Nigeria. • In situations of climate change disasters of higher magnitude the Federal body, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) serves the purposes of rapid response and intervention across the country.

20. NATIONAL AND STATE COORDINATION OF POLICY AND PROGRAMME RESPONSES TO CLIMATE CHANGE - 2 • The Ministry of Environment (MoE) at State levels collaborate with the FME • The State and Local government deliver at the grassroots by providing coordination of the climate change programs across states and also integrates with the federal in facilitating the action plans. • Mobilization of funds especially from the international sources to reach the state is through the federal e.g. the Ecological fund, the Africa Adaptation fund. • The coordination of the State and National is supported the National Policies on Climate Change which stipulates regulations and bottom-line strategies in mitigation and adaptation of climate change, and from which the State legislations and policies also draws its powers.

21. Concurrence and Synergy between the states and national Governments • Delta State Climate Change Policy: • “the State shall establish partnerships, national, regional and international for sharing of information and knowledge on climate change including best practices”. • “…the State shall work jointly with existing relevant state and national government agencies, departments, institutions and others that may be established in the implementation of the policy.” • The Lagos State Climate Change Policy: • “the State shall establish and strengthen institutional framework, guided by both state and national laws and regulations, for the coordination and implementation of the Lagos State Climate Change Policy, Lagos State Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan”.

22. WAYS TO BENEFIT FROM THE EXISTING GLOBAL,REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL CLIMATE FINANCING • The cost of climate change mitigation and adaption implementations is high. There is inadequate funds supply and the need to harness available sources. • Nigeria needs to maximize funds involved in all multilateral climate change Protocols and Conventions it ratified. Some examples include the UNFCCC, the Kyoto Protocol, 21st Conference of Parties (COP1) “the Paris Agreement”, etc. The UNFCCC is involved in the following: • Adaptation Fund • Global Environment Facility (GEF) • UNFCCC GEF – administered Special Funds • UNFCCC GEF – Least Developed Country Funds (LDCF) • Ecological Funds • Others include: • Climate Investment Fund • UN Collaborative Program on Reduced Emission from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) • Resources from the carbon market • The Green Climate Fund • ECOWAS and the AU

23. POLICY REVISIONS, REGULATORY CHANGES AND PUBLIC-PRIVATE FINANCING INNOVATIONS NEEDED TO STRENGHTEN NATIONAL AND STATE RESPONSE TO CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS • The 1999 constitution states that “the State shall protect and improve the environment and safeguard the water, air and land, forest and wildlife of Nigeria”. • However, there is currently no explicit climate change adaptation law in place. • There is need for Nigeria to consider the establishment of a Climate Change Commission backed by law to coordinate climate change activities in Nigeria.

24. Thank You