Nigerian lawmaker highlights environmental policy gaps at UN climate summit

Martins Archadu, a lawmaker from Nigeria's Cross River State House of Assembly, has identified significant shortcomings in his country's environmental policies following his participation in the 17th session of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP17) in Mongolia.

Archadu, who chairs the House Committee on Education and vice-chairs the Committee on Environmental Matters, stated that the summit exposed major gaps in Nigeria's environmental policies. He emphasized the urgent need for stronger legislation and more robust enforcement to effectively restore degraded land and conserve biodiversity.

"We have a lot of loopholes and setbacks in our legislation," Archadu said in an interview. "I have learnt a lot from the experiences shared during the sessions because many of them are case studies from different countries. I paid particular attention to the policy aspect and found out that most of their successes are rooted in their policies."

He highlighted India's approach to mining and agricultural project approvals as a valuable lesson. In India, states play a significant role in profiling companies and overseeing land-use activities, a contrast to Nigeria's federal-centric licensing system. Archadu believes Nigeria could benefit from adopting a similar model, where states have greater participation in approving mining and agricultural projects.

Archadu's participation in COP17 was driven by the environmental challenges in his home state of Cross River, which experiences frequent flooding, erosion, and landslides due to heavy rainfall. He attended sessions focused on these issues and on financing mechanisms, seeking insights to better address these problems.

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We have a lot of loopholes and setbacks in our legislation. I have learnt a lot from the experiences shared during the sessions because many of them are case studies from different countries. I paid particular attention to the policy aspect and found out that most of their successes are rooted in their policies.