The Environmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) has emphasized the need for African countries to urgently embrace renewable energy sources so as not to be left behind in the ongoing rapid global movement from dirty energy to clean energy.
Executive Director of ERA/FoEN, Dr. Godwin Uyi Ojo,who stated this in a keynote address on Transitional Justice and Nigeria Beyond Oil, during a two -day conference on Climate Justice held in Port Harcourt, advised Nigeria to divest funds from fossil fuels to renewable energy.
He noted that whereas on a global level, countries are making comprehensive plans to transit from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources and cleaner technologies by the year 2030 in line with the Paris Agreement of 2015, Nigeria was still neck deep in seeking investments for oil prospecting.
According to him, by 2025, some European countries have committed to end production of petrol-diesel cars and fully embrace renewable energy. Already, there are trade-in schemes to get rid of petrol- diesel cars in place of the emerging and fast spreading electric cars in developed countries.
“Transitional justice requires that rich countries pay ecological debts to compensate for Nigeria’s stranded assets such as oil and gas reserves, account for the historical carbon emissions released into the atmosphere and address loss and damage for fairness and equity including payment of compensation to victims of climate change”, Ojo further stated.
Maintaining that Nigeria beyond oil is very feasible with several benefits accruable to the country, the Executive Director of ERA/FoEN noted that his organization and its allies including civil society groups, community- based organizations, community representatives across Nigeria have recognized the urgent need for energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy.
He. expressed displeasure over the slow migration from dependence on fossils by the federal government which is still neck deep in seeking investments for oil prospecting especially in the Gongola/ Chad Basins and has committed billions of dollars to the expansion of Nigeria’s oil and gas reserves. Is this the right move for Nigeria?
He insisted that the disadvantages of fossil fuels are far greater than their advantages whereas solar energy has all round advantages without any dangerous impact on the users and the environment.
He added:“The divestment of public finance, loans and subsidies from fossil fuels and investing them on renewable energy development and development of cleaner technologies offers the opportunity for a post petroleum Nigeria”
