The Federal Government and the International Labour Organisation(ILO) has called for proper planning of climate policies to ensure effective implementation in the country.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige said this while inaugurating the “Just Transition and Green Jobs Project for Nigeria’’ on Monday in Abuja.
The project which is also known as the “Social Dimension of Ecological Transition has been domiciled as the “Just Transition and Green Jobs for Nigeria Project”.
It is also been implemented in some other African countries such as Cote d’Ivoire, Senegal and Nigeria and scheduled to run until December 2024.
Ngige, represented by Ms Kachollom Daju, Permanent Secretary in the ministry, said that to achieve the aim of the climate policies, all stakeholders in both the public and private sectors must be actively involved.
He said the initiative is key to national development due to the dire need for Nigeria to fulfill her obligations, as contained in the updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
According to him, the entire African continent, contributes less than three per cent of the Green House Gas (GHG).
“The impact of global warming is more severe on the socio-economic well-being of the developing countries.
“The situation is made worse by the fact that most of these countries are already being challenged by intermittent economic instabilities and recessions.
“This is due to COVID-19 pandemic, as well as other development challenges contributing to their high poverty profiles and poor social indices,’’ he said.
Ngige added that for instance, the intense global campaigns to replace fossil fuel with renewable energy sources have adverse implications on Nigeria’s economy.
He said this was due to the nation’s high dependence on crude oil exportation as the major source of foreign exchange earnings.
The minister said the degree of impact of climate actions on sectors in Nigeria vary; with the oil and gas industry expected to be most severely affected.
“However, the agricultural industry, as well as five other sectors identified in the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), will also be hard hit if ignored in the process of cushioning the impact of the actions on workers.
“This would create a dependency phenomenon, with loss of jobs in large numbers and significant economic pressures on the livelihood of the affected workforce, ultimately sending negative ripples on the nation’s economy at macro level.
“Therefore, the climate policies and strategies formulated for Nigeria must be carefully planned, implemented and evaluated to ensure that no one is left behind, ‘’he said.
He added that this justifies the multi-sectoral composition of both the Project Steering Committee (PSC) and Technical Work Group (TWG) which have been inaugurated on this project.
“It is expected that the launch of the Just Transition Project in Nigeria would create massive awareness and sensitise stakeholders and the general public on the need to support the initiative.
“That is towards harnessing the various opportunities created by the climate change actions in Nigeria.
“Also, the focus is to grow the economy, ameliorate any undesirable socio-economic impact on workers; strengthen the workforce by replacing obsolete skills and creating new jobs,’’ he said.
The minister added that the project, which is designed to be private sector led, will ensure that substitution of fossil energy with solar, wind powers, among others would not lead to deficits in job volumes.
He said it would also open new and diverse opportunities for new investments, technologies and jobs, especially for young Nigerians.
Ngige however, noted the high prospects of the initiative towards the reduction of the lingering high unemployment and under employment rates in Nigeria.
ILO Country Director to Nigeria, Ms Vanessa Phala, said the actions planned under the project will contribute to strengthening the resilience of local economies and expansion of opportunities for decent job creation.
Phala also noted that the 2015 Paris Agreement highlighted a just transition and decent work as essential elements to responses to climate change.
“This is as well as the guidelines for a just transition towards environmentally sustainable economies and societies for all, as adopted by the ILO constituents to guide the transformation.
“It aims to enable ambitious climate action that delivers decent jobs and advances social justice; support countries on bold solutions for a transition towards a sustainable future.
“That is just for all and enjoys broad-based support and facilitate an inclusive and sustainable recovery from the COVID-19 crisis for building back better,’’she added.
She also noted that project was supported by the ILO Office, Abuja, with the French Government.
Also, Mr Emma Ugboaja, General Secretary, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) said that the Just Transition is the flagship contribution of the World of Work to the Climate Change discourse.
“The struggle for the mainstreaming of workers’ concerns and perspectives on the global climate change discourse did not come easy.
“We therefore, demand that the Nigerian Just Transition and Green Jobs Project must be built on Social Dialogue.
“The Nigerian Just Transition and Green Jobs Project must pay attention to Social Protection and also government should invest in research and innovation.
“Ultimately, our collective aspiration should be to engender an economy wide process that collaborates on plans, policies and investments that lead to a future where there is an abundance of green and decent jobs,’’he said. (NAN)
