President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime should stay focused on its commitment to climate change, says Catriona Laing, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, ahead of the 2021 Conference of Parties (COP26).

While welcoming the leadership shown by President Muhammadu Buhari and his team, led by the Minister of State of Environment, Sharon Ikeazor, Ms Laing said,
“We look forward to seeing an effective implementation strategy for Nigeria’s revised Nationally Determined Contribution that will address the mitigation gap with the UK and other development partners support.”

Represented by Ben Llewellyn-Jones, the UK Deputy High Commissioner, Ms Laing told a press conference of the UK’s ambitions for COP26 and what the UK expected to achieve in the summit.

The COP26 is the next annual United Nations climate change conference expected to be attended by the countries that signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), a treaty that came into force in 1994.

This year’s event billed for Glasgow, Scotland, would be jointly hosted by the UK and Italian governments from October 31 to November 12, 2021.

Ms Laing said the summit, expected to be supported by all world leaders and delegations, had four clear goals to achieve, including securing global net zero by mid-century and keeping 1.5 degrees within reach.

”To adapt our behaviour to protect communities and natural habitats; and mobilise finance-developed countries to make good on their promise to mobilise at least $100 billion in climate finance per year,” the UK ambassador stated. “Lastly, to work together to deliver and finalise the Paris Rulebook (the detailed rules that make the Paris Agreement operational), and accelerate action to tackle the climate crisis, through collaboration between governments, businesses and civil society.”

She added that the outcome of the negotiations at COP26 should protect and restore nature, follow the best available science and empower inclusive action.

NAN