The Federal Government has announced a collaborative effort with various Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to assess, track, and rank climate-related initiatives implemented by states and Local Government Areas (LGAs).
Speaking at a one-day stakeholders’ workshop on the Climate Action Index (CAI) in Abuja on Wednesday, Mr Dasuki Arabi, Director-General of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR), highlighted the importance of this initiative.
The event, jointly organised by BPSR in partnership with the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Public Integrity (CeFTPI) and the Centre for Climate Action, Innovation, and Engagement (CCAIE), aimed to enhance accountability and encourage competitive best practices in climate governance.
“The Climate Action Index is designed as a tool to evaluate, track, and rank sub-national climate initiatives,” Arabi explained. “This aligns with Nigeria’s commitment under the Paris Agreement and the Climate Change Act of 2021, ensuring that sub-national climate actions are transparent, measurable, and impactful.”
Arabi stressed that climate change presents significant challenges to Nigeria’s economy, environment, and public welfare. He called for a holistic response to mitigate global warming and limit temperature rises.
“Nigeria, like many other nations, has made ambitious commitments towards climate mitigation and adaptation through national and international frameworks, including the Paris Accord and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs),” he said. “However, the success of these initiatives depends not only on federal policies but also on the active participation of sub-national governments.”
He referenced a 2024 report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, which indicated that current global commitments remain insufficient to meet the Paris Agreement’s targets.
Mr A’Aron John, Executive Director of CCAIE, explained that the CAI, developed in collaboration with CeFTPI, would identify gaps in implementation, enhance accountability, and establish a clear roadmap towards a net-zero future.
John noted that Nigeria’s carbon emissions had grown at a Compound Annual Growth Rate of 1% between 1990 and 2021. To counteract this trend, the CAI would evaluate sub-national climate efforts based on three key pillars outlined in the NDCs framework: alignment with federal climate targets, integration into state policies, and the effectiveness of implementation frameworks.
The workshop included participation from the National Emergency Management Agency and other key stakeholders in climate governance.
