Stakeholders Call for Collective Efforts at Reducing Carbon Emissions

By: Michael Mike

Stakeholders have called for collective efforts towards reducing carbon emissions to safeguard public health and the environment.

Speaking at the maiden two-day World Decarbonization Summit 2025, themed “Accelerating decarbonization for a climate-secure future,” in Abuja, they also highlighted the roles of women and the media as central to climate advocacy and behavioural change, noting that they are well-placed to instill sustainable habits in families and communities.

The stakeholders noted that the summit goes beyond making declarations to delivering concrete strategies, alliances, and solutions that can advance renewable energy access, climate justice, and inclusive leadership.

They revealed that the summit also serves as a platform to raise public awareness about the health and environmental dangers of carbon emissions and an avenue to shape Africa’s role in the global energy transition.

They noted that though Nigeria depends heavily on crude oil revenues and fossil fuel use, but it remains among the most vulnerable to climate change impacts as the country in recent years have witnessed severe flooding that has displaced communities across states, and faced severe desertification while urban centres continue to grapple with air pollution and health hazards linked to gas flaring and generator dependence.

The summit underscores the urgency of finding a balance between sustaining an oil-driven economy and embracing renewable energy solutions.

Speaking at the summit, the Mandate Secretary for Health Services and Environment, Federal Capital Territory, Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe, warned that climate change is not a one-off programme but a way of life that demands constant awareness and action.

She said: “Carbon in the air is very dangerous. We have decided to come up with a World Decarbonisation Day as a day to remind people of the effects of carbon in the air — extreme temperatures, death, bronchiolitis, asthma, and different lung diseases. Younger people are having more cancer now because they are breathing in all sorts of things. We want to start reducing the amount of carbon we put into the air.”

Fasawe identified major sources of emissions as car exhaust fumes, generators, fossil fuel use, open burning, and combustion at dump sites.

Fasawe while noting that fossil fuels cannot be eliminated without disrupting the ecosystem, however called for greater investment in renewable energy such as solar power, inverters, and batteries to serve homes, hospitals, and entire communities.

She stressed that the role of women in driving climate advocacy and shaping behavioural change cannot be overlooked, stating that they are uniquely positioned to promote sustainable practices within families and communities.

She said: “I believe that women are the nuclei of every society. At home, at work, even in business, there are some things you would defer to women, and that is why women are a very vital tool in sending out this message. Like I said, it is a way of life. It is women who will teach the children, it is women who will educate their spouses.”

Fasawe also urged the media to intensify awareness efforts, stressing that climate change is real and that responsibility for reducing carbon emissions rests not only with the government but with individuals as well.

In her opening address, the National President, Women in Energy, Oil & Gas, Mrs. Tolu Longe, said the summit is not about repeating old pledges but about charting bold strategies for Africa and women to lead in the global energy transition.

Longe described decarbonisation as not just a shift in technology but a power shift, noting that the continent must stop exporting raw resources while importing finished products.

She said: “If we want a just transition, we must stop thinking of women and Africa as beneficiaries of climate action. We are authors of the transition. We are investors, innovators, and architects of the new energy economy.

“Here in Abuja, we are not just gathering to repeat what has been said elsewhere. We are here to set a new tone — that decarbonization is not just a technology shift, but a power shift; that climate justice is not about charity, but about geopolitics; and that Africa must stop exporting raw resources and importing finished dreams.”

She however asked Africa to position itself as a leader in renewable energy and decentralized energy access.

The Chairperson of the Summit, Mrs. Toyin Yusuf, on her part said there is urgent need for policy frameworks that balance energy security with sustainability, while opening space for female professionals to contribute.

She explained that without deliberate policies to encourage women’s participation, Nigeria risks excluding a critical demographic from shaping its future energy mix.

She urged policymakers, industry stakeholders, and international partners to provide financing, build capacity, and create inclusive platforms that empower women in the sector.

The Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Environment, Terseer Ugbor, also noted the importance of women in the clean energy transition and advocacy efforts.

He explained that the committee had visited gas flaring sites, engaged oil industry players, and was advancing a bill to penalise and stop gas flaring.

The bill, already at second reading, seeks tougher penalties for offenders and compensation for communities suffering health and environmental effects of gas flaring.

Ugbor assured that once passed, the bill would reduce incentives for gas flaring and push companies to invest in capturing and productively using the flared gas.
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