BY OLAPEJU OLUBI
Nigeria is seizing the opportunities presented at the ongoing 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as the Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC) (COP29) by harnessing global partnerships and innovative solutions to drive its climate action agenda and sustainable development aspirations.
The event, being held in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 11 to 22 November 2024, brings glowing optimism for Nigeria.
From the aviation sector, The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), and the Permanent Representative of Nigeria with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) are among Nigeria’s delegation at COP29.
Also in attendance are; Barr Shola Gabriel, Director of Legal Services and Mrs. Gloria Onyegbule, Director of Applied Meteorological Services at the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), are also attending.
As part of the designed strategies to get the best of the event, the Minister and the NiMet team held a side meeting with officials of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) to discuss areas of mutual interest.
The meeting is part of Nigeria’s strides in climate diplomacy, capitalising on the summit’s momentum to secure critical investments, enhance green initiative and champion its vision for a sustainable future.
A key highlight of the side engagements at COP29 was the robust support for Nigeria’s Early Warnings for All (EW4ALL) roadmap, a critical step in advancing the United Nations’ vision of achieving universal early warning systems by 2027.
The Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF) of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) serves as a cornerstone of this initiative, offering sustained funding and technical expertise to bridge critical gaps in weather and climate data.
Keyamo lauded SOFF’s efforts and advocated for its inclusion of middle-income nations like Nigeria, stressing that broad-based data sharing is essential for improving the accuracy of global weather predictions.
The meeting highlighted Paul Bujeac’s recent re-accreditation visit to Nigeria’s WMO Regional Center in Oshodi, Lagos.
Bujeac lauded Nigeria’s progress in strengthening meteorological services, with the country poised for a successful re-accreditation, further solidifying its commitment to global meteorological standards.
Aviation stakeholders see these collaborative efforts as a reflection of Nigeria’s strong dedication to advancing meteorological science both within the aviation sector and beyond, striving to improve safety, efficiency and resilience in the face of climate change challenges.
