A climate change expert, Elochukwu Ezenekwe, has said Anambra state government can earn $20million in climate change adaptation funds
Ezenekwe with over 12 years experience in climate change research and advocacy made the revelation on Saturday while delivering a lecture on climate change in Awka, Anambra state capital.
He advised the state Governor Charles Soludo to set a target of securing up to $20million in climate change adaptation funds for the people of Anambra State during his tenure.
He noted that Climate Change Adaptation Funds has helped many developing countries to tackle the impacts of climate change in their respective countries
“This is something we can do. The Governor should not be scared to set up an ambitious target and challenge the experts to work towards achieving the target ” he said.
Ezenekwe asked the governor not to be worried about hiring experts as he is volunteering himself to assist the state as an indigene.
He also stated that he would leverage on his wealth of experience acquired over the years in handling climate change-related assignments for a number of international organizations, including the world’s largest climate change research body – the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to handle the project effectively .
The climate expert expressed concern how the menace of climate change has negatively impacted on the works of most of the government ministries in the state.
According to him, working with the international carbon credit and emissions trading systems can also earn the state government some very good funds due to the ongoing Clean Up exercise and the proposed planting of one million tree seedlings.
Speaking at the event, the state Commissioner for Environment, Engr. Felix Odimegwu, said he knew about climate change as something affecting everyone and as a big issue internationally, but did not know anything about the adaptation funds.
“We have a Climate Change Desk in the Ministry and I have had several discussions with the staff.
But this is the first time I am hearing about the adaptation funds. I didn’t know such funds exist but I will like to make my own investigations” he said .
According to the commissioner, the state needs to change from being passive, waiting for these things to come to it and start going after these funds and opportunities wherever they exist.
Odimegwu promised to transmit the recommendation to the Governor for appropriate action.
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