The Federal Government of Nigeria has said it is determined to ensure that Nigeria continues to comply with all multilateral environmental agreements without compromising the country’s sovereignty.
Dr. Isiak Salako, Nigeria’s Minister of State for the Environment, made the remarks at the beginning of the high-level plenary of the 16th Conference of the Parties, CBD COP16, in Cali, Colombia.
“Recognizing the progress our country has made towards protecting our natural world since the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, I would like to extend warm greetings to you from Nigeria and share a message of hope for the future. I would like to congratulate Colombia, one of the world’s most diverse countries, for hosting this conference in the beautiful city of Saintiage de Cali, the salsa capital of the world. ” he said.
Dr Salako said the Nigerian government would not hesitate to implement the decisions adopted at the conference.
“We are nearing completion of the adoption of the latest National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, NBSAP, which provides a clear and ambitious roadmap for the conservation and restoration of natural resources. Strengthening countries’ capacity to protect nature through policies, action plans and legal frameworks.
Dr. Salako said Nigeria, along with its sister ECOWAS countries, is at the forefront of ensuring the implementation of 30×30, adding that Nigeria and the ECOWAS subregion will effectively protect 30% of the ECOWAS region by 2030. He emphasized that we are on a clear path to achieving this goal.
“Our country and the ECOWAS subregion are also united in our pursuit of rapid ratification of the new High Seas Convention, with nine of the 15 ECOWAS member states having signed the new treaty.”
“Nigeria is coordinating to jointly seek the designation of first-generation, highly protected marine reserves on the high seas. We are also coordinating the We are coming together to launch concerted action to fight exploitation,” he said.
He further added that the ECOWAS subregion will work with leaders around the world to develop mechanisms to promote equitable accountability for genuine global action towards halting and reversing deforestation and forest degradation by 2030. He emphasized that he is ready to do so.
“Achieving these goals will require a true partnership between the Global North and the Global South.
“We are clearly running out of time, so we are doing everything we can. Our ecosystems are losing their ability to support us, and we cannot stand by passively as the crisis unfolds before our eyes. Therefore, we are concerned that our efforts continue to be undermined by significant delays in resource allocation.
“Ambition for Nature and Ambition for Nature Finance cannot be separated; the two are closely linked. “The promise remains an empty wish,” he explained.
According to him, “Our international community, under KMGBF Goal 19(a), will allocate at least $20 billion per year by 2025 and $30 billion per year by 2030 to developing countries for natural finance. I promised you that.
Delivering $20 billion in biodiversity finance to the Global South is a modest step in the right direction.
But it is clear that the world is not on track to achieve these promises. ”
Oyenike Oyenyi
