Stakeholders gathered in Abuja on Wednesday to advocate for reduced carbon emissions, citing the dangers they pose to public health and the environment.
The event, which was for World Decarbonisation Day, was held under the theme ‘Accelerating Decarbonisation for a Climate Secure Future.’ The stakeholders emphasised the need for collective action toward cutting carbon emissions.
Dr Dolapo Fasawe, the Mandate Secretary for Health and Environment Services in the FCTA, warned that excessive carbon in the atmosphere is hazardous to human health and life. She explained that the day was chosen to remind people of the dangerous effects of carbon emissions on air quality.
Fasawe noted that extreme temperatures, bronchiolitis, asthma, lung diseases, and even cancers among young people are linked to inhaling polluted air containing harmful carbon particles.
She explained that decarbonisation meant reducing emissions from sources such as vehicle exhausts, generators, fossil fuels, and decomposing dump sites that sometimes spontaneously ignite.
Fasawe stressed that fossil fuels should not be abandoned carelessly, as this might disrupt the ecosystem, though she envisaged a future led by renewable energy.
“One day, inverters, solar batteries, and panels will power entire hospitals, villages, and districts. That day is possible and it will come,” she stated.
Dr Oladunni Owo, National President of Women in Energy, Oil and Gas Nigeria, described the summit as bold, strategic, and filled with transformative ambitions.
“Decarbonisation is not just a technology shift, but a power shift. Climate justice is about geopolitics, not charity,” Owo stated.
She stressed that women need not wait for permission to lead, as history shows women are always at the forefront during crises, supporting families and communities.
Mr Teseer Ugbor, Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Environment, noted the importance of women in the clean energy transition and advocacy efforts.
He explained that the committee had visited gas flaring sites, engaged oil industry players, and was advancing a bill to penalise and stop gas flaring.
The bill, already at second reading, seeks tougher penalties for offenders and compensation for communities suffering health and environmental effects of gas flaring.
Ugbor assured that once passed, the bill would reduce gas flaring incentives and push companies to invest in capturing and productively using the flared gas.
Mrs Toyin Yusuf, Vice Chairperson for World Decarbonisation Day, said the 2025 summit theme focused on awareness creation, technological innovation, and driving decarbonisation globally.
She urged Nigeria and Africa to take leadership in global decarbonisation, stressing that while reliant on fossil fuels, Nigeria must still meet its net-zero target.
Yusuf highlighted technologies such as carbon sequestration, CCUS, and tree planting as vital tools in achieving sustainable climate action.
