Addressing the opening of the 2016 World Future Energy Summit, President Buhari reaffirmed Nigeria's readiness to work with the United Arab Emirates and rest of the world in a collective effort to mitigate the effects of climate change.
"Africa is already suffering from the consequences of climate change, which include recurrent drought and floods. In Nigeria, the drastic drying up of the Lake Chad to just about 10% of its original size, has negatively impacted on the livelihood of millions of people, and contributed in making the region a hot bed of insurgency.
"Desert encroachment in Niger, our northern neighbour and in far northern Nigeria, at the rate of several hundred meters per annum, has impacted on the existence of man, animal and vegetation, threatening to alter the whole ecological balance of the sub-region.
"In the middle and southern part of Nigeria, land erosion threatens farming, forestry, town and village peripheries and in some areas major highways.
"Constant and abrupt alteration between floods and droughts prove that climate change is real and therefore a global approach and cooperation to combat its effects are vital if the human race is not to face disaster in the 21st century," President Buhari told participants at the summit.
Noting that the summit was taking place soon after the United Nations Conference on Climate Change held in Paris late last year, President Buhari praised the United Arab Emirates for consistently supporting international action on climate change.
"We see Abu Dhabi as a dependable partner in the collective effort to manage climate risks including the attainment of the sustainable development goals by 2030.
"Thank you, Abu Dhabi, for consistently continuing to support international action in this sphere.
"We appreciate your immense contributions worth hundreds of millions of dollars in Energy aid to developing countries," the President said.
Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
January 18, 2016
President Buhari with L-R: French Minister of Foreign Affairs and President of COP 21 H.E. Laurent Fabius, Secretary General of United Nations H.E. Ban Ki-moon, UAE Minister of Environment and Water resources H.E. Dr Rashid Ahmed Mohammed Bin Fahad, Minister of State UAE and Chairman of Masdar H.E. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Executive Secretary UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Ms Christiana Figueres as President Buhari participates at the Official Opening Ceremony of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week at the ADNEC Centre on 18th Jan 2016
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