CSOs Call for Cut in Fossil Fuel as Energy Summit Opens in Abuja

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By Lucky Isibor



As the 6th Nigeria International Energy Summit opens in Abuja with about 5,000 participants from over 45 countries comprising government leaders, ministers, investors and delegates of multinational oil companies and energy industries, civil society organisations led by the African Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ); are calling on the Nigerian government and other African nations to freeze further investments in oil and gas, urging focus on speedy transition to clean and renewable energy. 
Some Summit officials engaging the protesting CSO members at the venue

The civil society groups who held placards with different inscriptions from 
"No more negotiation, we need climate action, fossil fuel is bad, renewable energy is good, gas is not clean energy, don't gas Nigeria, stop fossil fuel financing, gas is not clean energy, to stop funding dirty energy among others, staged a protest at the entrance of the International Conference Centre, venue of the summit and harped on the need to reduce investments in fossil fuel exploitation which is escalating global warming and reduce the ugly phenomenon to 1.5 degree Celsius in line with the Paris Climate Agreement.


Speaking with newsmen, leader of the protesting CSOs, Innocent Edemharia, who's also the Programme Officer of ANEEJ, noted the negative environmental impact of fossil fuel exploitation in the Niger Delta pointing out that the people now live without water, adding that their livelihood has been taken away from them.

According to him, "Fossil fuel is not the future. You're all party to the impact of climate change all over the world. The people of Niger Delta are suffering, the water is polluted, the soil is polluted, their livelihoods are taken away due to exploitation and use of oil and gas. We are saying oil and gas is not the future".

In his opening remarks, the Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo said Nigeria's energy transition plan is a broad and innovative move which calls for the deployment of solar energy of 5.3 Gigawatts per year until 2060, just as he called for access to power to pave way for development.

According to Vice-President Osinbajo, "We must think in terms of transitions to  cleaner fuels, to renewable energy and at the same time access to power so that we can also have access to development.

"Today, we have the largest number of individuals without access to power, the largest number of people without access to clean cooking fuels and we need rapid industrialization to get our people out of poverty and we must do all of this without worsening the global warming situation".
The protesting civil society groups are contending that due to human activities, the world is facing an unprecedented threat, “Climate Change”. The continuous emissions of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and other Greenhouse gases continue to raise the global temperature, thereby locking the world into irreversible climate catastrophe characterised by severe and frequent weather anomalies, food crises, health challenges etc. 

They are also contending that fossil fuel exploitation has and continues to significantly contribute to the rising global temperature and unfathomable pollution of local environment and climate.

The 6th Nigeria Energy Summit which commenced in Abuja on 16th April, will end on the 20th April.

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