Nigeria is Worried “Lake Chad is Disappearing” Says Environment Minister
“Whenever I have the opportunity, I try to raise it. Lake Chad, one of the 10 largest lakes in the world, is disappearing and is disappearing because of climate change”
These were the words of Nigeria’s minister of environment Balarabe Lawal while speaking penultimate Tuesday at a press briefing organised by African ministers on the sidelines of the UN climate change conference of parties (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan.
He emphasized that “climate change is causing Lake Chad to disappear, calling for collective actions to address the challenge, particularly calling on not Nigeria, Chad, Niger, Cameroon but the world at large as “it is a global problem that is happening before our eyes ”, he said
The minister recounted the climate challenges faced by African countries, including Nigeria, while urging the developed countries to commit to a new finance goal.
On the issue of deforestation, Balarabe said the Nigerian forest reserve is at three percent as against the stipulated 25 percent.
“The minimum is supposed to be 25 percent but in Nigeria it is about less than three percent and that is also aligned with the issue of desert encroachment from the north and coastal rising sea levels at the south.”
He urged parties to ensure that COP29 meets its demands, noting that negotiations about climate finance are gradually “becoming a mirage”.
He also reminded the that Nigeria is having issues with flooding with recent ones appearing “very devastating,” Balarabe said.