Nigeria has delivered a powerful message at the COP30 climate summit in Belém, Brazil, demanding a radical new global compact that places the restoration of nature and the delivery of climate justice at its core.
A Call for a New Global Climate Deal
Vice President Kashim Shettima, speaking at the Climate and Nature: Forests and Oceans pavilion, challenged the international community to fundamentally change its approach. He declared that wealthier nations must finally "pay their ecological debts."
"Nature is probably the most critical infrastructure in the world," Shettima stated. He lamented that for too long, it has been viewed as a commodity to be exploited rather than a vital asset requiring investment. The Vice President argued that true climate diplomacy must move beyond simply cutting emissions to include serious, dedicated investment in protecting forests, oceans, and biodiversity, particularly in nations that have contributed the least to global warming.
Nigeria on the Frontlines of the Climate Crisis
Shettima painted a stark picture of the escalating climate threats confronting Nigeria. To the north, the Sahara Desert is advancing at a rate of nearly a kilometre every year, consuming valuable farmland and forcing families from their homes. In the south, coastal erosion and rising sea levels pose a direct danger to fishing communities and megacities like Lagos. These challenges are compounded by ongoing issues of illegal logging and mining.
"We, too, are under siege," Shettima told the assembled delegates. He powerfully linked environmental degradation to human suffering, noting that "each piece of land these threats overcome invites conflict into human lives." He elaborated that desertification in the north has fueled economic collapse, conflict, and insurgency, while the loss of coastlines in the south threatens jobs and critical infrastructure.
Nigeria's Action Plan and a Rejected Narrative
In response, Nigeria is taking decisive action. Shettima announced the country's plan to mobilise up to $3 billion annually through its National Carbon Market Framework and Climate Change Fund. This capital will support ambitious projects in reforestation, blue-carbon initiatives, and sustainable agriculture.
The Vice President called on wealthy nations and multilateral institutions to expand grant-based climate financing and implement debt-for-nature swaps. These mechanisms, he argued, would allow nature-rich but financially burdened countries to protect their ecosystems without halting development. He also stressed that Indigenous and local communities must be central to project design and must be fairly rewarded for their role as guardians of natural assets.
Highlighting ongoing national efforts, Shettima pointed to:
- The planting of over 10 million trees across 11 frontline states under the Great Green Wall initiative.
- Plans to restore 2 million hectares of degraded land by the year 2030.
- A new Marine and Blue Economy Policy designed to strengthen fisheries and coastal protection.
These programmes are anchored in Nigeria's landmark 2021 Climate Change Act, which commits the nation to a path of low-carbon, nature-based development.
Shettima firmly rejected the outdated portrayal of Africa as a helpless victim of climate change. He countered that the continent is home to some of the planet's largest carbon sinks, including the Congo Basin and vast mangrove forests. "It is an outdated narrative to portray Africa as a mere victim," he asserted.
Nigeria is championing the African Nature Finance Framework, a strategy aimed at unlocking private capital for continent-wide restoration and blue-economy growth. Nigeria's stance at COP30 signals a significant shift: nature is no longer a side issue in climate negotiations. Shettima urged the summit to initiate a new climate agreement that formally recognizes Africa's forests, oceans, and frontline communities as global assets worthy of international investment.
While it remains to be seen if wealthy nations will heed this urgent call, Nigeria's position in Belém was unequivocal: restoring nature is essential to restoring climate justice and securing a viable future for all humanity.
