PRESIDENT TINUBU APPROVES THE TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR THE PIONEERING OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL PRESIDENTIAL ENVOY ON CLIMATE ACTION, SPEC 09-06-24
By Sadiq Aminu President Bola Tinubu has approved the terms of reference for the pioneering Office of the Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action, SPEC.
A statement says the approval is aimed at bringing clarity to the functions of the office within the climate and green economy ecosystem.
Accordingly, SPEC will be lead negotiator on climate-related matters on behalf of the Federal Government, reporting directly to the President.
It will be the lead negotiator on carbon market and management initiatives with a mandate to integrate the work of the Intergovernmental Committee on National Carbon Market Activation Plan (NCMAP) into the climate action plans of Nigeria, reporting directly to the President.
According to the terms of reference, SPEC will be the supervising interface between the Secretariat of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) and the NCCC Supervising Council, which is chaired by the President.
It will co-ordinate all climate action-related activities across Federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, legislative, and subnational entities, which directly impact the President’s Climate Action and Green Economic Agenda with a mandate to directly engage other nations, international organisations, and non-governmental entities to build coalitions and advance global climate goals in accordance with Nigeria’s national interest.
Similarly, it serves as the focal point of the Federal Government’s engagement with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Conference of the Parties (COP) meetings, and other related international meetings on climate-related and green economic matters.
It will equally co-ordinate activities of relevant Federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies towards the successful fulfilment of Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
It will serve as the Secretary of the Presidential Committee on Climate Action and Green Economic Solutions, which is chaired by the President.
The SPEC serves as the Chief Diplomat and lead representative of Nigeria on all climate-related engagements and negotiations while supervising the Energy Transition Office.
It has the mandate of being the focal-point authority on all non-executive activities related to the operations of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) with delegated authority to oversee the activities and operations of the NCCC secretariat for frequent reporting to the President in between meetings of the NCCC Supervisory Council.
It is now the lead interface on engagements with the Central Bank of Nigeria, Federal Ministry of Finance, Federal Ministry of Power, Federal Ministry of Environment, other critical Federal Government’s institutions concerning the administration and co-ordination of climate-related donor finance, renewable energy finance and green industrial growth management.
It serves also as the Chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen.
Subsequently, the President has approved the expansion of the membership of the Presidential Committee on Climate Action and Green Economic Solutions (P-CAGE).
The additional membership are Representatives of the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources (Gas), Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science & Technology, Energy Transition Office, Mr. Somkele Awa-Kalu, the NNPCL., and the Special Assistant to the President on Energy Transition, Ms. Yasmin Mohammed.
The statement says the Presidential Committee on Climate Action and Green Economic Solutions will be inaugurated in July.
It says the President emphasises diligence, dedication, and patriotism in the execution of the assignment with a view to realising his administration’s agenda on climate action and green industrial growth for the long-term benefit of the Nigerians and Africans at large.