NNPC Takes Drastic Step against Carbon Emissions
…..as Kachikwu calls for establishment of oil and gas sector carbon initiative The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has expressed its readiness to take practical steps towards ensuring low carbon emissions in its operations in line with the global Paris agreement in December 2015.
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and Group Managing Director of the Corporation, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu made this commitment during a one-day implementation workshop of the Oil and Gas Sector inputs to Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contributions at the NNPC Towers in Abuja.
Represented by the Chief Operating Officer Corporate Services, Mr. Isa Inuwa, the Minister said the time has come for all hands to be on deck to combat climate change and unleash actions and investment towards low carbon emissions, resilient and sustainable future as was agreed by 195 nations in Paris last year.
“The New Climate Treaty puts an end to the strict differentiation between developed and developing countries under a common framework that commits all countries to put forward their best effort to curb Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and to strengthen such efforts in the years ahead,” Dr. Kachikwu informed.
According to him, the Paris agreement requires that all parties report regularly on their emissions reduction status, implementation efforts and a readiness for international review.
He disclosed that the Paris agreement is a universal legal instrument under the United Nations which opened for signature this month, April 2016, and will come to force in January 2020 once the first 55 parties, covering at least 55% of global emissions have signed up.
Dr. Kachikwu noted that a proven way to reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions in Nigeria’s Oil and Gas operations is to capture the otherwise flared gas and use it for productive purposes within the economy under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM).
“The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is a process I will prefer to entitle, “Oil and Gas Sector Carbon Initiative” which will be launched in all NNPC formations in due course, and I urge our business partners to do same in their various Organizations as well,” the Minister advised.
On her part, the Minister of Environment, Mrs. Amina Mohammed represented by Dr. Yerima Tafa encouraged the NNPC to collaborate with other players in the Oil and Gas sector to mitigate Greenhouse Gas emissions stressing that Nigeria is particularly vulnerable to the impact of climate change due to the activities in various sectors of the economy.
Speaking in a similar vein, the Senate Committee Chairman on Ecology and Climate Change, Sen. Buka Abba Ibrahim urged the Federal Government to strengthen national institutions and mechanisms to establish a sustainable and functional framework for climate change governance.
Earlier, the Group General Manager, Frontier Exploratory Service and Renewable Energy Division, Engr. Rabiu Suleiman informed that the NNPC will work-hand-in-hand with its Joint Venture partners to ensure that Greenhouse Gas emissions is reduced to the barest minimum.
The One-day workshop drew participants from the National Assembly, International Oil Companies in Nigeria and experts on climate change.
It would be recalled that at the 21st edition of the United Nations Conference of the parties (COP21) in Paris, December 2015, Heads of Governments, including President Muhammadu Buhari agreed to a New Climate Treaty and committed to take actions to limit global average temperature rise to well below 2 degree Celsius this century.