Oil Watch International, a civil society organisation (CSO), has called on the Federal Government to adopt sustainable measures to tackle the growing manifestations of climate change in the Niger Delta and across Nigeria.
The group’s Coordinator, Mr. Kentebe Ebiaridor, made the call during its Annual General Meeting held in Port Harcourt on Saturday.
Ebiaridor said the meeting, themed “Advancing Climate Justice in Nigeria: From Fossil Fuels to Fossil Freedom,” focused on the urgent need to transition to renewable energy sources and address decades of environmental degradation caused by oil exploration and production.
He noted that the long-term health and environmental impacts of fossil fuel dependence had made it imperative for the government to take decisive action to mitigate climate change effects on citizens.
Ebiaridor outlined several sustainable measures, including the transition to renewable energy, strict enforcement of emission controls—particularly in the oil and gas sector—and the adoption of energy-efficient technologies in buildings, industries, and transportation systems.
He also advocated for the implementation of climate adaptation and resilience plans to help communities cope with the effects of climate change, such as sea-level rise, drought, and flooding.
According to him, vulnerable communities should be supported with climate-resilient infrastructure, climate-smart agricultural practices, and disaster risk reduction strategies.
Ebiaridor expressed dissatisfaction with the current state of the environment and the lack of transparency and accountability in the oil and gas sector. He urged the government, multinational oil companies, and manufacturing industries to end gas flaring by utilising its by-products as raw materials.
Also speaking, Dr. Emem Okon, Coordinator of Oil Watch in Nigeria and Executive Director of the Kebetkatche Women Development and Resource Centre, called for climate mitigation financing to be targeted at women in rural communities.
Okon stressed that women are disproportionately affected by climate change, especially through flooding and loss of livelihoods. She urged the government to support women with vocational training and startup funds to cushion the impact of climate-related disasters.
“We are calling for implementable strategies to promote climate justice and sustainable development in the Niger Delta region,” Okon said.
Similarly, Mr. Ken Henshaw, Executive Director of another CSO, We the People, called for stronger legal protection of the environment as a pathway to achieving environmental justice.
Henshaw accused oil companies of abandoning operational sites in the Niger Delta without proper environmental remediation or accountability.
He alleged that such companies often “disinform and manipulate public opinion to avoid taking responsibility for their actions.”
Henshaw further urged the Federal Government to reform the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) by removing provisions deemed unfair to communities affected by oil spills.
He also advocated for the creation of a global court to prosecute environmental crimes, known as ecocide, and to hold oil companies liable for the destruction caused by their operations.
“The demand for environmental justice is a call to action — to protect the environment and ensure that those responsible for its degradation are held accountable,” he added.
