Nigeria’s Climate Action Strategy : How Policy and Regulation Will Enable Nigeria's Journey to Achieving Sustainable Economic Growth and its Proposed 2060 Net Zero Target

The magnitude and multidimensional nature of climate change demonstrate the need for clear guardrails to ensure sustainable economic development and give Nigeria a chance at its net zero target. Desertification in the north, floods and erosion in the south, and the associated economic consequences all allude to the reality of climate change. Currently, the earth is already above 1.1oC warmer than it was in the late 1800s, and emissions continue to rise. To keep global warming to no more than 1.5oC – as called for in the Paris Agreement – emissions need to be reduced by 45% by 2030 and reach net zero by 2060. Net zero means cutting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to as close to zero as possible, with any remaining emissions re-absorbed from the atmosphere by oceans and forests. The readiness with which countries, subnational entities and organizations have made net zero pledges is a testament to the galvanizing power of the concept. This essay is a discourse on the impact of climate change; it answers the question of how policy can enable Nigeria achieve the 2060 net zero target and foster economic growth while preserving the quality of the environment