At COP28, Tinubu pledges Nigeria’s commitment to methane emission reduction

President Bola Tinubu has pledged Nigeria’s commitment to methane emission reduction by at least 30 percent by 2030.

Tinubu spoke on Saturday while addressing stakeholders at a forum on methane and other non-CO2 emission reduction, at the COP28 holding in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

According to an International Monetary Fund (IMF) report, methane accounts for about 30 percent of the increase in the global temperature since industrialisation and emissions rose by record levels.

Tinubu addressing world leaders during the meeting

Speaking on Nigeria’s efforts to fight climate change, Tinubu said the country is a signatory to the COP28 decarbonisation accelerator and had signed off as a member of the United Nations (UN) global compact.

“Our country has taken critical steps to reduce methane emissions by ensuring flare elimination and focussing on gas as replacement cooking fuel for biomass,” he said.

“We welcome the effectiveness of the COP28 president that gives hope to sustain livelihood. The earth has been injured not by us, but by the big economies and I am happy they are here.

“The pledges by the big economies are good and we are with you even though we are the least beneficiary of the financial commitment of the big economies.

Kerry, special envoy on climate change

“Listening to you here makes us happy. We are committed to ensuring flaring gasses are eliminated. There is a huge penalty for that and there is also a huge incentive for doing so.

“We are part of the US methane abatement pledge that commits us to voluntary actions to contribute to a collective action for methane emission by at least 30 percent by 2030.”

Tinubu assured that Nigeria would continue to make efforts to achieve renewables.

“We hope the big economies and the United Arab Emirates will help,” he added.

John Kerry, United States special presidential envoy for climate, said over $1 billion in grant funding for methane reduction had been unveiled to catalyse global action to cut emissions in line with the global methane pledge, particularly in developing countries.