Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has highlighted the preparations of the Nigerian government for energy transition and plans to attain net-zero emissions by 2050.
He disclosed these plans on Tuesday when he hosted a United States government delegation led by the White House Deputy National Security Advisor, Mr. Jonathan Finer.
Reiterating Nigeria’s position on a just transition from fossil fuels to clean energy, he said, “We are concerned, amongst other things, first about some of what has been going on, especially around gas as an effective transition fuel, and how many of the Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) and some countries are insisting that gas projects should be defunded.
“This is a principal concern to us; it is one that we have made central to our advocacy and it is one of the issues that we intend to promote at the COP26.”
The vice president informed the US delegation of Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan, which he described as the first in Africa.
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“We have done the costing for it and all of what is required to be able to hit net-zero by 2050. Also, what the implications would be, given the constraints there, and how realistic it would be to get to net-zero by 2050 or not,” Osinbajo added.
“He expressed excitement that the Biden administration is fully back on board the Climate Change global agenda, saying it is commendable restoration of the US government’s support for the Paris Agreement.
He said, “We are happy that the US is fully on board with climate change and back to the table on this issue. I think one has to commend the drive that this US administration has put behind climate change.”
Four years ago, the Trump administration had announced the US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement on climate change mitigation issues. But on assumption to power earlier this year, the Biden administration announced the restoration of America’s commitment to the Paris Agreement.
