Environment

Cop26: Boris Johnson ‘cautiously optimistic’ about reaching 1.5C deal

Boris Johnson has declared he is “cautiously optimistic” about a deal at Cop26 to keep global temperature rises below 1.5C as he urged China to commit to bringing emissions down by 2025.

The prime minister had previously said if the climate emergency were a football match the world would be 5-1 down but he said on Monday that the score was now more like 5-2 or 5-3.

He claimed there had been a turnaround since the G20 leaders’ summit at the weekend, arguing that a commitment from Brazil on halting deforestation, the Indian pledge on decarbonising power by 2030 and extra cash promised by Japan were good signs.

However, he said there was still a “very long way to go” before a deal to keep 1.5C alive was achieved. Experts have said that reductions of 28 gigatonnes of emissions by 2030 are necessary to meet that target but pledges so far do not add up to anywhere near that amount.

Johnson said talks with China, the world’s biggest emitter, were now focused on trying to persuade its negotiators to bring forward its pledge for its emissions to peak in 2030 by five years.

“You bet we need more progress from China … and everyone here at this gathering,” he told a press conference in Glasgow. “The question is how much before [2030]. That’s the issue. There’s a world of difference between peaking in 2030 … and peaking in 2025. That’s where we’re keeping the pressure up.”

Johnson said another area of pressure was asking developed countries to contribute more in climate finance for developing countries, saying they are going to “have to do more”. UK government sources have acknowledged this is the most difficult area of negotiation and where Cop is likely to fall short.

The prime minister said commitments from countries would be “100% useless if the promises are not followed up with action”. Asked about concern among voters about the cost of net zero, Johnson said people had to realise that failing to tackle the climate crisis would be an “economic catastrophe”.

“I happen to think that there’s a great wisdom in the British people and I think that they can see that this is an issue that needs to be fixed and they may not listen to me, but they certainly listen to Sir David Attenborough and they look at what’s actually happening around the world,” he said.

“They look at the fires, they look at the floods, and they look at the hurricanes, and the increased incidence of all three, much-increased incidence, and they think something’s happening here.”

“They’re not dumb and they can see that this is something that needs to be tackled,” he added, while ruling out a referendum on the push for net zero.

Johnson’s demeanour was more upbeat than at the G20 summit, when he warned of a serious risk of failure in Glasgow. His official spokesperson dismissed the idea that the prime minister had deliberately lowered expectations to later declare his negotiations with other world leaders in Glasgow a success.

Asked whether Johnson’s weekend gloom had been expectation management,
the spokesperson said: “The PM felt very much at the G20 that limited progress was made but was by no means the significant boost that was needed. What we’ve seen so far is some early signs that we are starting to make some progress. Again, we are not complacent. This is not a done deal by any means. There is a huge amount of work left to do.”

Johnson has still not made a decision on whether to come back at the end of Cop26, and could instead make a statement from Downing Street on what is agreed.

Environment

300 environmental offenders sanctioned by Kwara Govt

About 300 environmental offenders were sanctioned on Saturday by the Kwara State Government for violating the environmental law of the state.

They were arrested and prosecuted before various mobile courts during the monthly sanitation exercise held at the weekend across the state.

The state government, however, commended residents of the state for compliance towards the successful monthly sanitation exercise held on Saturday, within and outside the state capital.

The Commissioner for Environment, Hajia Nafisat Musa-Buge, gave the commendation in Ilorin while fielding questions from journalists, at the check point, along Lagos road, immediately after the exercise.

“Let me use this medium to express our delight with an increase in the level of compliance, by the good people of Kwara State, towards the successful sanitation exercise, most especially, the metropolis. I urge you all to sustain the tempo.”

The commissioner, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Alhaji Abubakar Ayinla, appreciated the mobile courts Judges, monitoring and security agents, transport unions and relevant bodies, for their steadfastness in the discharge of their duties.

She implored the people, to strictly adhere to the three hours sanitation exercise, scheduled for the cleaning their residential and business environments, in order to sustain clean and safe environment, for a healthy living, according to a statement by the press secretary of the ministry, Kamaldeen Aliagan in Ilorin on Sunday.

Environment

NiMet predicts 3-day thunderstorms from Monday

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NiMet, has predicted thunderstorms from Monday to Wednesday across the country.

NiMet’s weather outlook released on Sunday in Abuja envisaged localised thunderstorms over parts of Kebbi and Zamfara states in the northern region during the morning hours.

According to NiMet, localised thunderstorms are anticipated over parts of Zamfara, Kaduna, Bauchi, Kebbi, Adamawa, and Taraba states during the afternoon and evening hours.

In the North Central region, the agency said localised thunderstorms are expected over parts of Niger and Kwara states during the morning hours.

It added that later in the day, localised thunderstorms are anticipated over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Nasarawa, Plateau, Kwara, Kogi, and Plateau states.

NiMet further stated that localised thunderstorms are expected over parts of Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Lagos, and Ondo states in the southern cities during the morning hours.

The agency anticipated localised thunderstorms over parts of Oyo, Ondo, Osun, Ogun, Imo, Enugu, Ekiti, Edo, Ebonyi, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Cross River, Lagos, and Akwa Ibom states later in the day.

For Tuesday morning, NiMet said localised thunderstorms are expected over parts of Taraba, Adamawa, Kano, Katsina, and Jigawa states in the northern region.

It forecast localised thunderstorms over parts of Adamawa, Taraba, Kaduna, Zamfara, Kebbi, Sokoto, Bauchi, Borno and Gombe states later in the day.

According to NiMet, localised thunderstorms are anticipated over parts of Plateau and Nasarawa states during the morning hours.

In the afternoon and evening hours, it predicted localised thunderstorms over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Plateau, Nasarawa, and Niger states.

In the southern cities, localised thunderstorms are expected over parts of Delta, Edo, and Ondo states during the morning hours.

Later in the day, localised thunderstorms are anticipated over parts of Ogun, Edo, Ekiti, Ondo, Imo, Enugu, Anambra, Lagos, Delta, Rivers, Bayelsa, Cross River, and Akwa Ibom states.

The agency predicted morning localised thunderstorms over parts of Kaduna, Zamfara, and Kebbi states in the northern region on Wednesday.

It envisaged localised thunderstorms over parts of Taraba, Adamawa, Borno, Bauchi, Kaduna, Zamfara, Kebbi, Jigawa, and Kano states.

In the North Central region, localised thunderstorms are anticipated over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Plateau, Nasarawa and Kogi states in the morning hours.

Later in the day, localised thunderstorms are expected over parts of Niger, the Federal Capital Territory, Nasarawa, Plateau, and Benue states.

Localised thunderstorms are expected over parts of Cross River and Akwa Ibom states in the southern cities during the morning hours,” the agency said.

According to the agency, localised thunderstorms are expected over parts of Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, Ondo, Lagos, Enugu, Abia, Ebonyi, Cross River, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Delta, and Bayelsa states later in the day.

NiMet urged residents to avoid flood-prone areas as there could be a high likelihood of urban flooding in major cities due to heavy downpours and strong winds might precede the rains in areas where thunderstorms are likely to occur.

It urged the public to stay informed through its weather updates.

It also advised airline operators to get airport-specific weather reports (flight documentation) from NiMet for effective planning in their operations.

Environment

NiMet forecasts 3-day thunderstorms across Nigeria

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted thunderstorms from Thursday to Saturday across Nigeria. NiMet’s weather outlook released on Wednesday in Abuja predicted thunderstorms over parts of Kebbi state on Thursday during the morning hours in the North.

“Later in the day, thunderstorms are expected over parts of Adamawa, Taraba, Kaduna, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara.

“In the North central region, thunderstorms are expected over parts of Niger, and Kwara states during the morning hours.

“Later in the day, thunderstorms are expected over the Federal Capital Territory, Kwara, Niger, Plateau, and Benue states,” it said.

According to NiMet, in the southern region there are prospects of thunderstorms over parts of Ebonyi, Imo, Abia, Ondo, Edo, Cross River, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Delta states during the morning hours.

It anticipated thunderstorms over parts of Enugu, Ondo, Imo, Abia, Ebonyi, Anambra, Oyo, Edo, Ogun, Osun, Cross River, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Lagos, and Delta states later in the day.

“For Saturday, in the North central region thunderstorms are anticipated over parts of Taraba and Adamawa states in the morning hours.

“In the afternoon into evening hours, thunderstorms are expected over parts of Katsina. Kebbi, Zamfara, and Sokoto states.

“In the North Central region, there are prospects of thunderstorms over parts of Plateau and Niger states during the morning hours,” it said.

According to NiMet, thunderstorms are expected over parts of Niger, Nasarawa, and the Federal Capital Territory later in the day.

“In the Southern region, thunderstorms are expected over part of Ondo, Ogun, Cross River, and Delta states during the morning hours.

“Progressing into the afternoon/evening hours, thunderstorms are envisaged over Oyo, Ogun, Edo, Abia, Imo, Ebonyi, Delta, and Cross River states,” lt sad.

According to NiMet, in the northern region, thunderstorms are expected over parts of Taraba State in the morning hours of Sunday.

It forecast thunderstorms over parts of Katsina, Kano, Kaduna, Taraba, and Jigawa states later in the day.

It predicted cloudy skies in the North central region with intervals of sunshine are anticipated over the region in the morning hours.

“Thunderstorms are expected over parts of Kwara, Kogi, and Benue States during the afternoon into evening hours.

“In the southern region, thunderstorms are envisaged over Oyo, Ogun, Edo, Ondo, Delta, Rivers, and Lagos states.

“Later in the day, thunderstorms are anticipated over parts of Imo, Abia, Ebonyi, and Cross River states,” it said.

The agency urged residents to avoid flood- prone area as there is high likelihood of urban flooding in major cities due to heavy downpours.

According to NiMet, strong winds may precede the rains in areas where thunderstorms are likely to occur, public should take adequate precaution while relevant authorities are to adhere to safety advisories issued by relevant authorities.

“Public and Airline operators are advised to get updated weather reports and forecasts from NiMet for effective planning in their operations.

“Residents are advised to stay informed through weather updates from NiMet.

“Visit our website www.nimet.gov,” it said. (NAN)