The Nigerian government has rejected calls for phase-out fossil fuels, an issue emerged as one of the most topical at the ongoing United Nations Climate Change Summit in Dubai, UAE.
“It is unacceptable to ask Nigeria or Africa to phase out fossil fuels,” said Ishaq Salako, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Environment.
He likened the clamour for phasing out of fossil fuels to asking a sick patient to breathe without life support. The Nigerian economy heavily depends on fossil fuels – petroluem.
Fossil fuels are responsible for over 75 per cent of GreenHouse Gas (GHG) emissions that cause climate change. At the Climate Change conference, parties need to reach a consensus.
On Sunday’s first draft text of the Global Stocktake (GST), countries were asked to phase out fossil fuels. It met several pushbacks from OPEC and Nigeria.
Gabriel Aduda, Permanent Secretary at Nigeria’s Ministry of Petroleum Resources, took to X (former Twitter), saying, “Section…