Spaces for Change|S4C in collaboration with Imo State Ministry of Environment and Sanitation recently inaugurated the 16-member Technical Committee on Climate Change, with support UK’s Institute of Development Studies (IDS) and Ford Foundation. In attendance at the inauguration ceremony held on October 18, 2024, were Imo State Commissioner for Environment, Imo State Commissioner for Power and Electricity, permanent secretaries, directors and heads of departments of Imo State Ministry of Environment, Imo Ministry of Power and Electricity and Imo House of Assembly Committee on Environment. Others include the representatives of youth associations, disability groups, women’s rights groups, academia, media organizations, informal sector associations, and traditional rulers.
Imo State Technical Committee on Climate Change has been constituted to develop a participatory and inclusive climate change policy tailored to the environmental and climate priorities of the people of Imo State. Officially inaugurating the Committee, Imo State Commissioner for Environment reiterated the urgency of addressing climate change-induced challenges that the state is facing such as flooding and erosion. The Commissioner outlined the Committee’s mandate, which includes developing climate action plans, proposing green initiatives, and facilitating community engagement in all stages of the policy development process. Outlining the objectives, scope, and expected outcomes of the Committee’s work, Spaces for Change’s executive director stated that Imo will be joining other states like Lagos, Delta, and Rivers, which have already established climate change frameworks.
State executives from various ministries highlighted the importance of a policy direction on climate change mitigation and adaptation for the state. Senior representatives of Imo State Ministry of Power and Electricity expounded the intersections between climate change and clean energy policies. While Nigeria ranks ninth (9th) globally in natural gas reserves, Imo State holds the largest share of about 200 trillion cubic feet. More so, Imo State boasts of having various types of renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, hydropower, biomass and so forth. These endowments not only position Imo State as a hotbed of clean energy generation, but also presents significant opportunities for investments in independent power plants, petrochemical industries and renewable energy products and services. Along these lines, the Technical Committee have a duty to prioritize the promotion of renewable energy initiatives and reducing carbon emissions in the state.
The Chairman, Imo State House of Assembly Committee on Environment, Hon. Innocent Ikpamezie, harped on far-reaching impacts of fossil fuels on local communities, agricultural ecosystems and other traditional livelihoods. Innovative solutions and collective effort are therefore required to address these impacts by ensuring that the policy developed provides mechanisms and resources for reparation, restitution and environmental restoration. State officials, civil society stakeholders and traditional rulers took turns to express their commitment to the climate policy development process, including taking necessary steps to ensure inclusion and stakeholder engagement in all the Committee’s undertakings. Statements and remarks by Committee members reiterated the importance of a policy framework that espouses the direction the state’s climate targets and decarbonization efforts.
The inauguration of the Imo State Technical Committee on Climate Change marks a significant milestone in the state’s efforts towards environmental conservation and climate resilience. The Committee will also serve as a platform for collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and strategic planning to address the challenges posed by climate change in the state. This Committee is being supported by a wide range of stakeholders such as IDS, Ford Foundation and Imo Ministry of Environment and Sanitation.
