By Comfort Isaac
Ahead of the Conference Of Parties 30(COP30) that will take place in Brazil; Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have called on Fossil Fuel Corporations to stop funding and asserting undue influence in the COP processes.
This was part of the communique reached at the end of Conference of Parties 29(COP29) Debriefing meeting held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital organized by Peace Point Development Foundation in preparation for COP30.
The CSOs while lamenting the progressive increase of Fossil fuel Corporations funding of previous COPs noted, “they influence the agenda, they influence the conversations and they influence the outcome of the discussions, that is why we could not have substantive action in terms of phasing out fossil fuel at all levels.”
They also called for increased collaboration between the Akwa Ibom Ministry of Environment and CSOs for joint action plan and participation for the COP 30.
Speaking on the incoming Loss and Damage funds for remediation of impacted oil communities; the CSOs called on Nigerian government vis a vis Akwa Ibom state government to ensure that transparency, fairness and accountability are upheld in the disbursement of the funds.
They urged sub-national governments, community actors and other CSOs to position themselves and monitor the inflow and management of the funds advising that the money when received should be used to mitigate the impact of climate change, gas flares in the oil ravaged communities.
The meeting also stressed that World Bank should be removed from hosting the Loss and Damage funds of the COP being that it has been financing fossil fuel extraction.
They also called on the Akwa Ibom state government to formulate a Climate Responsive Budget that would address the climate impact in the state.
The meeting while describing the United States withdrawal from the Paris Agreement as an injustice against the world called on the Global North that is highly industrialized to take action in reducing fossil fuel emissions and pump finances to developing world so as to adapt and move towards more sustainable and cleaner energy sources.
The communique in parts, “There is progressive increase of corporations influencing and funding the COPs and this should be curtailed. Civil Society Organizations should make strong demands that fossil fuel corporations are not present at the COPs nor even fund it.
“State Government should put up a transparent and accountable mechanism to receive the loss and damage fund for vulnerable communities at the frontline of climate impact.
“The impact of climate change is here with us, with the high temperature and many communities at the shoreline of the Atlantic Ocean submerged i.e Itak Abasi, Ibeno Local Government Area.
“Akwa Ibom State is at the Frontline of climate impact due to our boundary with the Atlantic Ocean, hence climate change must be taken seriously by the sub-national Government.”