…As state hosts global summit on climate change
Cross River State would in April 2017 launch a $250million Green Entrepreneurship Fund (the first ever in Africa) as it hosts a Global Summit on Climate Change and Green Entrepreneurship; a statement, on behalf of the state, by Africa Clean Energy Summit/Group, one of the partners, has said.
The Fund, according to the statement, “will empower a minimum of 150,000 Green
Entrepreneurs and Enterprises; creating more than 600,000 direct jobs and over 1,200,000 indirect jobs in 18 months.”
The summit, which would be hosted through the Ministry of Climate Change and Forestry, would be in collaboration with the Africa Clean Energy Summit/Group, the Federal Ministry of Environment, the Federal Ministry of Health, the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade & Investment, NEPAD Nigeria,Covenant University, ADC Energy USA, Development Partners, Always Green Power & Systems Limited and The Environment Communications Limited.
The statement explained that the summit is expected to “bring together international and national stakeholders from governments, private sector, non-governmental organisations, development partners and international investors to address matters that would support the state’s transition to a low-carbon and climate-resilient economy- building a sustainable green economy in Cross River State.”
The event, which would coincide with the World Earth Day celebrations, would focus on job creation opportunities and the first ever wealth creation parks for low carbon development in Africa, holding from April 17 to 22, 2017 with a special Marathon Race, tagged- ‘Cross River Climate Marathon’ at the Calabar International Convention Centre.
Cross River holds over 58percent of the last remaining tropical rainforest in Nigeria and is listed as one of the 25 biodiversity hotspots in the world, with approximately 75percent of Nigeria’s endangered tree species found in our forests. Also, Cross River Forests support 22 primate species including endemics such as the Cross River Gorilla, Drill Monkeys, Pruesus’s Guenons and many others.
Climate Change, occasioned principally by anthropogenic perturbations of the environment via burning of fossil fuels and gas flaring, deforestation and unsustainable land use methods has produced myriads of untold consequences. The effects thereof include drought, flooding, reduced rainfall and irregular rainfall patterns, poor agricultural yield, food scarcity, hunger, youth restiveness, increased crime rate among others. Cross River State being basically an agrarian state bears a fair share of the global climate change impacts.
The Ministry of Climate Change and Forestry, Cross River State has the mandate of initiating and driving Climate Change mitigation activities in Cross River State. This mandate is premised on the sub-national leadership role which the state is expected to play in Climate Change mitigation and overall global ecosystem stability.
To effectively deal with the issues of Climate Change the administration of Ben Ayade, governor of the state, introduced projects and programmes such as planting of 5 million trees every year, the Green Police, the Green Carnival, Anti-Deforestation Task Force, Special Mobile Court, Clean Energy Initiative as well as Green Economy Initiative and these efforts are yielding laudable results.
“The global event will include a world class summit; the 2017 World Earth Day celebration; high level climate solutions Segments, an international exhibition; technical conferences; business sessions; investment forums; green energy empowerment for MSMEs; green wealth from tree planting,” the statement added.
With a population of more than 3.5million, Cross River State would provide employment for a reasonable number of young people in the state.”
According to the World Bank report on climate change, in Africa, power is inaccessible, unaffordable, and unreliable for most people. This traps people in poverty; students find it difficult to read after dark, clinics cannot refrigerate vaccines and businesses have shorter operating hours. Today, 25 African countries face an energy poverty crisis. The African continent is well endowed with energy resources but most remain untapped.
The World Bank at a recent workshop on Climate Change Knowledge Immersion organised by the bank in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Environment, stated that Nigeria will need about $140 billion to mitigate negative impacts of climate change in the country.
Climate Change is aggravating the environmental issues such as deforestation and degradation, freshwater shortage, food security and air and water pollution. Projected increases in extreme climate events as well as more changes in the weather patterns may further threaten the means of livelihood in the face of inaction. According to the Cross River State Governor, ‘’our local actions have global impacts and require effective collaboration’’.
