Even more complex is when the government claims to understand the seriousness and potentially damaging consequences of climate change but still display complete nonchalance in the implementation of an action plan targeted at fostering low carbon and accelerating transition to renewable energy. It is easier to wake a person who is sleeping than the one who is pretending to be asleep.

The Federal Ministry of Environment developed a National Policy on Climate Change to ensure a quick response to climate change and to foster a low-carbon, high growth economic development path and build a climate-resilient society through the attainment of set targets but this beautifully crafted policy document like every other one before it is in desperate need of aggressive implementation due to lack of political will and visionary leadership not able to understand future global direction, let alone seizing the opportunity of innovation created by this global problem.

The climate change strategic action of government will remain a mirage as several actions of government either suggest ignorance on the concept of climate change or lack of sincerity on the part of political leadership. This conclusion is borne out of the critical analysis of several actions of government especially in the last six years of the current administration. The period under consideration does not in any way suggest that the previous administration did any better.

One of the pillars of the climate change strategic action plan is the mitigation and low-carbon high growth development with the increase of renewable energy mix and review of energy and technology policies as the core. However, the investment of over 1.4trillion Naira in the payment of subsidy in the last 3 years without appropriation, over $3b in refurbishing the Port-Harcourt, Kaduna and Warri refineries and billions voted into the power sector without deliberate investment in renewable sources of energy are clear contradictions.

Another pillar of the strategic action plan is food security, poverty reduction and protection of the vulnerable with an increase in the resilience of vulnerable groups including women and children as strategic means of achieving this target. Sadly, Nigeria currently ranks 161st in the Human Development Index and the capital poverty of the world with this terrible feat achieved in the last six years of the current administration. Nigeria also ranks as highest in the number of out of school children with over 13 million children who are roaming the streets. How can the vulnerable be protected and poverty reduced when budgetary allocations to education and health are less than 8% and 6% of the total annual budget in the last six years?

Furthermore, two of these pillars are research and development; capacity building and institutional strengthening with research on the linkages between climate change and poverty, health, security and vulnerability; and building the capacity of the government to undertake international and regional negotiations on climate change as parts of the strategic focus. It is indeed ironic that this government has never proven to be interested in investing in research as the citadel of innovations and research, which are our universities and polytechnics are constantly plagued with strikes on account of poor funding.

The capacity of the nation to carry out research is only dependent on the viability, functionality and capacity of our universities and research institutions. How can the capacity of the government to undertake international and regional negotiations be built when training and conferences are mere jamborees only for collecting allowances without any value addition to the nation?

Until our leaders wake up to the reality that the world is evolving and climate change is a tough reality that must be tackled with the same seriousness as insecurity, corruption and economy which are the policy thrusts of this administration, we may never make any headway as a nation. Prioritizing the implementation of climate change policy has the propensity of resolving the above challenges.

The government should as a matter of national urgency commence disinvestment from fossil fuel and channel such investment into renewable energy, education, health, infrastructure and research. Deliberate efforts should be made to ensure the implementation of the National Policy on Climate Change while avoiding policy contradictions that may end up eroding the gains already made.

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