Abuja: The Stakeholder Democracy Network (SDN) is advocating the operationalisation of Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) for Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (SLCPs) to strengthen Nigeria’s climate action efforts. Mrs Florence Ibok-Abasi, Country Director of SDN, made this announcement at a workshop organised by the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) in collaboration with SDN, with support from the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC).
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the initiative aims to bolster Nigeria’s capacity to track and reduce SLCPs like methane and black carbon, particularly in key sectors such as oil and gas, agriculture, and waste. SDN, in partnership with NCCC, is working to integrate MRV for SLCPs into Nigeria’s national framework, ensuring accurate reporting and transparency. This initiative aligns with Nigeria’s commitment to reducing methane emissions by 30 per cent by 2030 and achieving its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) goals under the Paris Agreement.
Mrs Florence Ibok-Abasi emphasized that SDN has been instrumental in supporting host communities in the Niger Delta for over 20 years. The focus has been on engaging with local and state governments, as well as oil companies, to provide technical assistance across various levels of government.
Ibok-Abasi highlighted the importance of multi-stakeholder engagements, stating that strengthening MRVs is crucial because emissions cannot be reduced without accurate measurements. The CCAC has expressed satisfaction with SDN’s progress and is considering a second phase to ensure the intervention’s completion.
The workshop aimed to build on initial capacity-building sessions, focusing on strengthening institutional capacity to implement MRV for SLCPs. It supports the improved integration of SLCPs into Nigeria’s national MRV framework in adherence to the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) under the Paris Agreement.
Mr Okebugwu Chukwuemeka, Assistant Director at NCCC, praised SDN for its partnership and progress in MRV efforts. He emphasized the need to sustain these efforts and harmonize emerging ideas to ensure effective integration of MRV systems for SLCPs.
Dr Bala Bappa, National Coordinator of CCAC, highlighted Nigeria’s long-standing partnership with the coalition, which supports various projects aimed at reducing SLCPs. The CCAC is now backing Nigeria’s implementation of MRV for SLCPs in key sectors with SDN’s assistance.
Since the project’s inception, SDN has conducted comprehensive stakeholder mapping and engagements across sectors to ensure successful MRV implementation. A needs and gap analysis was also conducted, with outcomes and solutions presented at the last workshop.
Dr Jude Samuelson, Head of Environment and Climate Change at SDN, commended the cooperation of 16 MDAs in adopting project recommendations. He reaffirmed SDN’s commitment to supporting MRV systems and ensuring capacity building across key sectors for effective SLCP MRV implementation.