COMMUNIQUE OF NIGERIA SOCIAL ACTION CONFERENCE 2022
Preamble
Climate change is ravaging the world, with countries across the globe feeling the severe impact of various disasters. Global warming is increasing the incidences and intensities of wildfires, hurricanes, drought, and floods in countries and communities worldwide, sometimes causing permanent and irreversible destruction to the ecosystem. In Nigeria, climate change-induced disasters such as flooding have ravaged many communities, destroying lives, properties, and livelihoods. As of the end of October 2022, an estimated 1.3 million people have been displaced in unprecedented high flooding that affected communities in 27 out of the 36 states of the country. Reports also indicate that over one hundred thousand houses were completely or partially damaged. The impact of this climate disaster on livelihoods is enormous, as some 108,392 hectares of farmland have been damaged and 332,327 hectares destroyed, along with many roads, bridges and other critical infrastructure.
The flooding situation in Nigeria and other countries is a clear manifestation of governments’ failure to combat the endemic impact of climate change despite the growing awareness about the urgency of the global problem, which disproportionately affects developing countries.
At the just concluded 27th Conference of Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 27), critical issues of climate imperialism have emerged with the world demanding justice for historical and continuing climate-altering greenhouse gas emissions from developed countries. Developing countries pushed for the recognition of the immediacy of loss and damage from climate change, and the Conference agreed to establish a fund to support victims, especially in the global south. The resolutions from COP 27, while inadequate, provide possibilities for developed countries and other high emitters of CO2 to contribute to financing action needed to address losses and damages from climate change. Coming at a period when Nigeria is reeling from unprecedented flooding that resulted in massive losses and damage; there is a need for Nigerians to examine our national and sub-national responses to loss and damage, as well as adaptation to climate change.
The 2022 Conference
The Nigeria Social Action Conference 2022, with the theme: Climate Action: Addressing Loss and Damage from Floods and Drought in Nigeria is conceived in the frame of the ongoing global campaign for climate justice.
The conference’s objective is to promote dialogue around advancing local solutions to addressing the Nigeria climate crisis through collective actions.
The Conference brought together climate activists, civil society organizations, donor organizations, members of the diplomatic corps, government officials, policymakers, and academia to chart the ways and options for strengthening government’s policies and responses to the climate crisis in Nigeria. The Conference Comprised of the following activities; Welcome Address, Solidarity/Goodwill Messages, Keynote Presentation By Barrister Chima Williams and Other Presentations and Interventions and Panel Session to discuss the Keynote and Paper Presentations and Plenary Session.
OBSERVATIONS
The Conference observed as follows;
That Chapter II, Section 14 (2) (b) states that the Security and Welfare of the People shall be the primary purpose of Government. This is the responsibility of everyone in Government. The government places the above obligation on everyone in Government. To this end, the avoidable loss of lives and property and the destruction of farm land among others is an indictment on those in Government at all levels.
That Climate Change is a reality that any responsible Country; Government and Citizens must be ready to comprehensively and constructively respond and engage. To this end, we must ensure and work towards an All of Government, Whole of Society Approach.
That as a result of climate change, loss and damage is already occurring, that there is the likelihood of increased loss and damage, that loss and damage is becoming unavoidable and inevitable, that loss and damage is experienced unequally with a disproportionate burden on the poor and vulnerable, and that the current financial and governance frameworks for addressing loss and damage are grossly inadequate at national and global levels.
That Loss and damage is an integral component of necessary Climate Action, in addition to Mitigation and Adaptation.
That Government at all levels must rise up to the challenge of Climate Change and Global Warming. Government has failed to be proactive and that is why the problems have continued to re-occur. The focus of Government is always on palliative measures and not on long term solutions.
That there is need for inter-agency collaboration by all agencies that are involved in managing environmental disasters in Nigeria.
That our climate change and environmental management laws and policies are not sufficient and adequate.
That the current penalties for running fowl of our environmental and climate change laws are not sufficient and that is why the violators consider it more beneficial to break the laws and pay a meager fine.
Multinationals, especially those in the extractive sector continue to violate the laws with so much impunity, hence everyone responsible for emission of greenhouse gases should be liable for their actions and there should be incentives for companies that
That while the idea behind Conference of Parties on Climate Change is commendable, it has failed over the years to fulfill its purpose. It is on this premise that the resolutions, decisions and commitments always run short of addressing the challenges on ground.
That there is a nexus and direct correlation between insecurity and poverty and climate change and the Environment.
That there is a Climate Change Council/Commission which doesn’t have a Civil Society Engagement component.
That when it comes to climate change and the Environment the focus is always at the National Level and not at the State and Local Government Level. The irony of this reality is that the consequences and effects of Climate change happen at the grassroots level; Neighborhoods, Communities, Local Governments and States. That Nigerians are not really informed and educated about climate change and the environment and this has to be given the priority it deserves.
That the plight of the vulnerable persons in the society must be given the required attention they deserve when it comes to climate change and the environment.
RECOMMENDATIONS
That right to life and the Value of Human Life is sacrosanct and as such must be the primary consideration of Government when addressing Climate Change and the associated environmental challenges. Life should be prioritize over any cost of remediation.
The Conference resolved that we must approach the issue of Climate Change with the mindset of whole/All of Government and Whole/All Society approach. That Civil Society must engage in advocacy to ensure that the Government at all levels becomes more proactive in ensuring that we take climate change seriously in Nigeria.
That the financial and governance frameworks for addressing loss and damage should be adequate at national and global levels. All Parties and Stakeholders must come up with practical and sustainable strategies and means of funding and responding to loss and damage.
That the Climate Action Plan in Nigeria must be comprehensive and as such include Loss and damage in addition to mitigation and adaptation.
The Conference resolved that culprits who are responsible for loss and damage in Climate Change must be liable and accountable. To the end, through the agreement from COP 27 on including Loss and Damage in the resolution, we must become creative and think out of the box; e.g Strategic litigation. That Civil Society must form a Broad Alliance in Nigeria, Africa and globally to ensure that the needful is done.
That African Governments and Civil Society Organisations should think out of the box by commencing soonest Strategic Litigation against Corporations and Companies whose conduct makes Africa to be the greatest victim of the negative impact of climate change, including their Home Countries and the UNFCC who is the UN implementing organ for the outcomes of the various COPs. The foundation for this litigation will be the agreement on setting up of the funds for loss and damage which is an admission of the historical reversible and irreversible losses which Africa has suffered from the most.
That there should be inter-agency collaboration and synergy among relevant agencies/departments of Government to ensure effective enforcement of relevant laws, policies, frameworks, guidelines and standards that guarantees protection of citizens, their environments, livelihoods, dignity and humanity against conducts that exacerbates climate change impacts. Furthermore, the Conference resolved that Civil Society should be brought into the collaboration and partnership with the Government agencies.
That Government should immediately begin a process of building the buffer dam to contain any further release from the Cameroonian dam as part of the human efforts to solve the destructive consequences of the perennial 10 years flooding incidence which has killed more people than wars in recent times.
The Conference called on the Military to stop henceforth pollution of our environment from illegal logging of forests resources in the North East and deposit of Military waste in the North East to the destruction and burning of seized oil vessels in the South South thereby creating enormous environmental pollution that contributes to Climate change. We understand that the Military put their lives on the line to protect Nigeria and Her Citizens and we appreciate and celebrate our gallant Troops, but we insist that they must be conscious of the need to protect the environment.
That ecological funds should be converted into loss and damage funds and this should be managed by victims of loss and damage from flood and drought.