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NATIONAL STAKEHOLDERS WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE CHANGE NATIONAL STAKEHOLDERS WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE CHANGE: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA A three-day National Stakeholders Workshop on Climate Change: Challenges and Opportunities was organized by the Federal Ministry of Environment, Housing and Urban Development in collaboration with Heinrich Boell Foundation- a German Nigeria-based non-governmental organization, associated to the Green Party in Germany. The workshop was held from 7 – 9 November 2007 at the Reiz Continental Hotel, Central Area, Abuja. The Honourable Minister of Environment, Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Halima Tayo Alao declared the Workshop open, stressing the Government’s commitment to fighting the harmful impacts of climate change on the Nigerian people at all levels.
Technical and policy papers were presented covering the Mitigation, Vulnerabilities and Impacts, Adaptation, and Policy Issues. The German Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency Joachim Schmillen reiterated his country’s resolve to remain a driving force in the global struggle against climate change and offered his country’s cooperation to Nigeria in several areas like technology transfer, capacity building and political support. These were discussed in the context of challenges and opportunities for economic development in Nigeria. The results of the workshop are outlined below: General ▀ That climate change is a reality threatening and indeed already impacting on human existence; ▀ That the available scientific evidences have confirmed that Africa in general and Nigeria in particular are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change; ▀ That the poor, the women and the children will be most affected by these impacts; and ▀ That environmental security, including energy security and climate change are inseparable in economic thinking and are major factors that will drive the 21st century development. ▀ Mitigation ▀ That inappropriate energy development and utilization are major sources of emissions of greenhouse gases leading to global warming and climate change; ▀ There is need to promote appropriate mechanisms to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases; ▀ Such mechanisms will include the use of energy efficient systems and the promotion of use of renewable energy. ▀ Need to strengthen the capacity of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) for improved systematic climate observation networks. ▀ Forest management in the forms of afforestation, reforestation, agroforestry programmes and prevention of bush burning should be embarked upon at both federal and state government levels. Impacts That the following important sectors are already being impacted by climate change ▀ General Ecosystem ▀ Agriculture ▀ Water Resources ▀ Human Health ▀ Coastal Resources ▀ Population and Human Settlement ▀ Energy and Transportation ▀ Adaptation ▀ There is urgent need for development and promotion of appropriate adaptation measures to reduce severity of the impacts. Further Recommendation: ▀ Climate Change activities should be mainstreamed into development policy instruments such as NEEDS, SEEDS and the Presidential 7- Points Agenda. ▀ For effectively addressing climate change challenges and opportunities for economic development in Nigeria, there is need for adequate funding of climate change activities including o Inventory of greenhouse gases o Development of appropriate mitigation strategies o Further assessment of vulnerabilities and impacts of climate change o Development of appropriate adaptation measures ▀ Establishment of data base that will be hosted by the Special Climate Change Unit in the Ministry of Environment, Housing and Urban Development. ▀ Capacity development ▀ Education and Public Awareness among others ▀ To effectively cope with the increasing responsibilities to implement the Climate Change Convention and its Protocol, government should consider, as a matter of urgency, further institutional strengthening of the present Special Climate Change Unit into an Agency with an enabling law. ▀ The National and State Assemblies should rise to the challenge of embarking climate change issues as core legislative activities. e
 The workshop noted that the State and Local Governments should play a particular proactive role in combating climate change within their areas of jurisdiction, as they are closer to where the problems are and have a better understanding of the local issues. In particular, their authority over land-use planning makes them very relevant stakeholders. The stakeholders appreciated the efforts of the Federal Ministry of Environment, Housing and Urban Development and the Heinrich Boell Foundation in organizing the workshop. For details of the programme manager's report
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NOVEMBER 7 - 9, 2007 
