Environment
Global activists gather at Rome G20 to demand tougher action on China

Global activists gather at Rome G20 to demand tougher action on China
Legislators from around the world have gathered on the fringes of the G20 summit in Rome to protest against the presence of the Chinese foreign minister, Wang Yi, and urge leaders not to let China off the hook over human rights abuses in return for Beijing’s cooperation on the climate crisis.
Many of those at the Rome counter-meeting have been banned from travelling to China as punishment for campaigning against Chinese repression in Xinjiang.
They are due to be addressed remotely by the Taiwanese foreign minister, Joseph Wu, as China steps up its threat to recapture Taiwan. Wu is on his first trip to Europe since 2019 and had been expected in Rome, but the Italian leg of his journey was cancelled with speculation that Rome was unwilling to give him a visa at such a sensitive time.
The Chinese president, Xi Jinping, was not attending the G20 summit in person. He has recently reaffirmed the reunification of Taiwan as a Chinese goal and increased military activity close to the island. China has described the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (Ipac) counter-meeting as a gathering of secessionists.
Joe Biden, in an apparent breach of previous US policy, has pledged to protect Taiwan, but there has been ambivalence inside some western governments on how far to hold back from criticism of China in order to gain its cooperation before the Cop26 climate conference in Glasgow.
Some Chinese diplomats have said there will be consequences for China’s cooperation on climate if the country’s human rights record is singled out.
The gathering in Rome of Ipac – a body of about 200 global parliamentarians from different political perspectives – is the kind of event that will infuriate China. The group is due to hear from Penpa Tsering, the Sikyong of the Central Tibetan Administration, from the Hong Kong activist and former politician Nathan Law, and the Uyghur artist and activist Rahima Mahmut.
Dovilė Šakalienė, a Lithuanian MP who was sanctioned by China in 2020, said: “We are here to ensure that the People’s Republic of China does not get a free pass at this G20. The leaders of the summit must realise very clearly what is at risk when they treat the PRC as an equal member of the club and what is the cost of making Uyghur genocide, Hong Kong and Taiwan bargaining chips. Let us not fool ourselves into trusting the PRC as a reliable partner in fighting the climate crisis, a state that sanctions human rights defenders and is currently imposing draconian population control measures.”
The former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith, also in Rome, described the Ipac bipartisan meeting as “utterly unprecedented”. He said: “Our collective purpose is to demand of the G20 governments that they publicly recognise the enormous threat posed by the People’s Republic of China.
“Whether it is debauching the financial system, disregarding global trading rules, committing genocide against the Uyghurs, trashing the international treaty on Hong Kong or threatening to invade Taiwan – the time has come to call the PRC out.”
How to handle China is a live issue among some of the G20 leaders, with Biden due to meet the French president, Emmanuel Macron, for the first time since the US formed a strategic Indo-Pacific alliance with the UK and Australia, Aukus, which excluded France.
The US was partly motivated by a belief that France was not prepared to take a sufficiently confrontational approach to China. Aukus scuppered an Australian $66bn deal to buy French-made diesel-powered submarines. The French government responded by recalling its ambassadors to the US and Australia. Macron has subsequently spoken to Biden twice by phone, and is likely to use his private meeting in Rome to demand that the US give a strong signal of support for a stronger European defence cooperation, a long-term French demand.
In Germany, China is also a live issue, with the likely new German chancellor, the social democrat Olaf Scholz, under pressure from the Green party, his potential coalition partner, to take a tougher line on Taiwan.
Scholz is due to attend the G20 summit alongside the outgoing chancellor, Angela Merkel. Germany has been one of the leading European voices backing economic ties with China.
Scholz is negotiating with the German Greens on whether or how to make Taiwan feature in any coalition program. Last week the EU parliament voted by an overwhelming majority in favour of a comprehensive strengthening of relations with Taiwan.
The Bundestag human rights committee last October angered China by holding talks with representatives of Taiwan. A few days ago, the Chinese embassy reminded Germany that China had “consistently supported Germany’s efforts to achieve national unity” and was hoping for “understanding” and “support” in relation to Taiwan. At the same time, the embassy claims that reunification is “the common wish of all Chinese people in the world, including our 23 million compatriots in Taiwan”.
The EU’s Indo-Pacific strategy released last month calls for pursuing “deep trade and investment relationships” with Taiwan, particularly in semiconductors.
Environment
NiMet forecasts 3-day sunshine and cloudiness

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has forecast a mix of sunny, cloudy, and thunderstorm conditions across the country from Sunday, May 18, through Tuesday, May 20.
In a weather outlook issued in Abuja, the agency detailed regional variations expected over the three days and advised residents to take precautions, especially against thunderstorms and strong winds.
For Sunday, NiMet projected predominantly sunny skies across much of the northern region, with cloudy intervals. However, thunderstorms are expected later in the day in parts of Gombe, Bauchi, Kaduna, Taraba, and Adamawa States. The North-central region will see sunny conditions, but isolated thunderstorms are anticipated in Kwara, Plateau, Nasarawa, Niger, Benue, and Kogi States during the afternoon and evening.
In the southern parts of the country, morning thunderstorms are predicted in states such as Cross River, Lagos, Ogun, Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta, and Akwa Ibom. More isolated thunderstorms are forecasted for later in the day.
On Monday, May 19, sunny skies with occasional cloud cover will persist in the northern region. Taraba and Adamawa States may experience morning thunderstorms, while isolated storms are likely in the afternoon or evening across Kaduna, Taraba, and Adamawa. The North-central states, including the Federal Capital Territory, Niger, Kwara, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, and Plateau, are also expected to experience isolated thunderstorms later in the day. Southern areas, including Ondo, Ogun, Lagos, Cross River, and Akwa Ibom, will likely have morning thunderstorms followed by more rain events in the afternoon or evening.
NiMet’s forecast for Tuesday continues the trend, with sunny conditions and few clouds in the north during the morning. Isolated thunderstorms are predicted in Taraba, Bauchi, Gombe, and Adamawa States, with additional storms expected later in the day in Borno, Yobe, Jigawa, Katsina, Kano, Kaduna, Adamawa, and Taraba.
In the North-central region, sunny skies with some cloud are predicted, while isolated thunderstorms may occur in the Federal Capital Territory, Nasarawa, Kogi, Plateau, Benue, and Niger States during the afternoon and evening. The southern region will likely see morning thunderstorms in Cross River, Lagos, Bayelsa, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom, with continued thunderstorm activity expected as the day progresses.
NiMet has advised residents to take safety precautions during thunderstorms, noting that strong winds may accompany the weather events. The public is urged to secure loose objects, avoid driving during heavy rainfall, disconnect electrical appliances, and stay away from tall trees. The agency also called on airline operators to consult with NiMet for up-to-date weather information to aid flight planning
Environment
NEMA cautions Lagos residents on safety amid downpour

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has cautioned Lagos residents on the need to observe safety rules to mitigate the impact of heavy rainfall in the state.
NEMA Coordinator, Lagos Territorial Office, Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos.
Farinloye said motorists should park their vehicles and move away to safer environment during heavy rainfall.
He warned Lagos residents from taking shelter under temporary or makeshift accommodation during rainfall to avoid disaster.
He said people living on low level ground should move to a higher level ground for safety.
“Parents are enjoined not to send their children to errands during the rains.
“Follow instructions given by public safety officials.
“Be alert to changing weather conditions and be ready to move to higher ground.
“Consider postponing outdoor activities,” Farinloye said.
He advised parents to tie down or bring in outdoor objects (patio furniture, children’s toys, trash cans, etc.) that could be swept away or damaged during flooding.
“Consider unplugging sensitive electronic equipment before flooding occurs. But do not touch electrical equipment if you are wet or standing in water.
“Elevate items stored in your basement to prevent damage. If you have a sump pump, check that it is working,” Farinloye said.
He stressed that residents should consider clearing street catch basins to prevent or reduce street flooding.
He said motorists should void camping or parking along streams, rivers, creeks, or other areas prone to flooding during heavy rainfall.
“These areas can flood rapidly and with little warning,” Farinloye said.
NAN reports that most parts of Lagos has been experiencing downpour for about two consecutive days, leading to flash flooding and the destruction of the roofs of some buildings.
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency had issued warning that about 30 states, including Lagos were at high risk of severe flooding as the rainy season approaches, raising nationwide concern over the country’s level of preparedness. (NAN)
Environment
Time for climate action is now, not tomorrow- Tinubu to Global leaders

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged world leaders to demonstrate unity, courage, and sustained commitment in addressing the worsening global climate crisis.
Speaking on Wednesday during a high-level virtual dialogue on climate and the just transition, President Tinubu reaffirmed Nigeria’s dedication to forging a paradigm shift in which climate action and economic growth advance together, not in opposition.
“The global climate emergency demands our collective, courageous, and sustained leadership. For Nigeria, the urgency of this moment is clear: we view climate action not as a cost to development, but as a strategic imperative.”
The meeting, co-hosted by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and Brazilian President Luiz Inacia Lula da Silva, aimed to accelerate global climate ambition ahead of COP30, which Brazil will host.
Leaders from 17 countries, including China, the European Union, climate-vulnerable states, and key regional blocs such as the African Union, ASEAN, and the Alliance of Small Island States, participated in the meeting.
The leaders sent a clear message: climate action is moving forward, full speed ahead.
Addressing the session from Abuja, President Tinubu outlined Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan (ETP) as a bold, pragmatic roadmap for reaching net-zero emissions by 2060. The ETP targets five core sectors—power, cooking, transportation, oil and gas, and industry—and identifies a financing need of over $410 billion by 2060 to achieve these goals.
“We are, therefore, in the process of aligning our regulatory environment, fiscal incentives, and institutional frameworks to ensure that energy access, decarbonisation, and economic competitiveness proceed in lockstep. We are also taking leadership on Energy Access,” he said.
President Tinubu underscored Nigeria’s role as an anchor country in the Mission 300 initiative, implemented in partnership with the World Bank and the African Development Bank. The initiative aims to deliver electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030.
He recalled his participation in the Dar es Salaam Declaration earlier this year and Nigeria’s presentation of its National Energy Compact, which outlines reform commitments, investment opportunities, and measurable targets to expand clean energy access and clean cooking solutions.
“This compact is among the first of its kind in Africa and lays out our policy reform commitments and specific investment opportunities in the energy sector. It sets quantifiable targets to grow electricity access and increase clean cooking penetration.
“We are working to build capacity and ensure that we meet these targets, reflecting not just our ambition but also our commitment to deliver on that ambition measurably,” he said.
As part of the broader energy reforms architecture, President Tinubu announced the finalisation of the Nigeria Carbon Market Activation Policy in March 2025. This policy will unlock up to $2.5 billion by 2030 in high-integrity carbon credits and related investments.
He disclosed that Nigeria is actively updating its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in line with the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), with plans to present a comprehensive revision by September 2025.
“Our climate strategy is not limited to planning and regulation — it is also rooted in market reform.
“We are working to position Nigeria as a premier destination for climate-smart investment through the development of a Global Climate Change Investment Fund, which will serve as a platform to blend public and private capital, de-risk green infrastructure, and finance clean energy solutions at scale,” he said.
The fund will support key national priorities such as green industrial hubs, e-mobility infrastructure, regenerative agriculture, and renewable energy mini-grids for underserved communities.
President Tinubu thanked international partners, particularly the United Nations and Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), for their advisory and technical support.
“These partnerships are a shining example of the value of multilateral cooperation in climate delivery. We are prepared to collaborate, lead, and deliver — because we understand that the time for climate action is not tomorrow; it is now,” he said.
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