Climate change directly affects our communities, health, and livelihoods. Yet, media coverage often prioritises politics and business over climate-related stories, leaving crucial environmental news underreported.
Climate Watch seeks to bridge this information gap, ensuring that important climate change stories and mitigation efforts never slip under your radar.
Here is a round-up of last week’s climate stories:
- The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has issued a flood alert to residents of Rivers state. Adebiyi Razak, the NEMA south-south zonal coordinator, said a potential flood is expected in the state within the next four weeks. He said NEMA has started preparations to reduce the impact of the flood, noting that the intensity of rainfall is increasing in the south-south, particularly in Rivers. He added that the agency has started stockpiling essential items to support local authorities during the floods. Razak urged residents in the affected areas to relocate to higher ground to protect their lives and properties. “In the next four weeks, the intensity of the rain will be high in Rivers, and we have already sensitised people in areas prone to flash floods,” he said. “We have visited Ahoada west, Ahoada east, Andoni, Ndoni, Obio/Akpor, Oyigbo, and Tai LGAs, as well as coastal areas that are likely to be impacted. “Tai has experienced flash floods, and two internally displaced persons (IDP) camps have been identified in the area.”
- Last week, the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) issued a flood alert for nine LGAs. The warning followed the release of water from the Dadinkowa and Lagdo dams. Mohammed Goje, the executive secretary of SEMA in Yobe, said water released from the two dams would worsen the difficulties faced by residents in the area. Goje urged residents in the affected areas to relocate to higher ground to avoid the impending flooding. Read more here.
The United Nations (UN) has released seven recommendations that will help countries accelerate the clean energy transition. The recommendations are part of a report titled ‘Resourcing the energy transition: principles to guide critical energy transition minerals towards equity and justice’. The report followed calls from developing countries over perceived inequality in the energy transition. The recommendations include respect for human rights, safeguarding the integrity of the planet and biodiversity, promoting justice and equity along the critical mineral value chains, and fostering economic diversification through development. Find out more here.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) says 259 people have died due to floods across Nigeria from April to September. Zubaida Umar, the director-general of NEMA, spoke in Abuja at the national emergency coordination forum (ECF). Umar said the floods displaced 625,239 people while 1,048,312 others have been severely affected, with 29 states and 172 LGAs ravaged within the period. The NEMA DG assured that the federal government would provide the victims and affected states with the necessary support. Read more here.