Tinubu commits to ending gas-flaring, methane emissions

President Bola Tinubu has expressed the commitment of his administration to end gas-flaring in the country in line with the global push to halt methane emissions.

He made the declaration in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, at the ongoing United Nations Climate Conference (COP28) Summit on methane and other non-greenhouse gases.

The President, who shared the platform with the President of COP28, Dr. Sultan Ahmed al-Jabar; the United States Special Envoy on Climate, John Kerry; and the Chinese Envoy on Climate, Xie Zhenhue, told the world that Nigeria had already imposed heavy penalties on defaulters.

Praising the leadership of the host country in the drive to reduce greenhouse gases, the president said he was aware of the need for participants to make commitments to the goal of limiting the earth’s temperature increase to 1.5 Celsius by the end of the century.

“Sitting here in this room, I know that we have to commit ourselves. We have been doing so before today. We are committed to taking critical steps to reduce methane emissions by ensuring gas flaring is eliminated. There is a huge penalty for that. There is also a huge incentive to do so.

“The measures that are taken here are a welcome development; there is no doubt about that. I am grateful to the leadership of the UAE for the commitment shown so far. We are consolidating on gas exports, usage domestically, and exports to other countries. I can assure you that we will be partners in progress to achieve renewable energy.

President Tinubu pointed out that the world’s biggest economies, the US and China, were the biggest culprits in greenhouse emissions and stressed that the earth needs urgent healing.

“What I know of Africa is the fact that de-risking additional investment and technological know-how is very necessary, and the largest economies that have greatly benefited should do more real fast because the earth needs healing and needs more attention.”

Sultan al-Jabar had stressed that the efforts being made proved that success was possible with the objective of limiting the earth’s temperature.

He observed that the elimination of all CO2 gases could be done with the necessary cooperation and hard work on the part of the countries.

John Kerry also announced that over 1 billion dollars in new grant funding had been mobilized since COP27 in Sharm el-Shiekh, Egypt, and expressed delight that more countries had made methane pledge endorsements.

On his part, the Chinese Envoy said his country was willing to cut down on greenhouse gases but that it lacked the capacity to do so and called for support from the international community.