Potentials of Nature-Based Solutions to Climate Change Mitigation in Nigeria

Abstract

Nigeria has made much effort at climate change mitigation through the production of several policy documents to cut down on greenhouse gas emission over the years without success. However, there is need to explore alternative strategy of climate change mitigation in the country. Nature based climate solution offers opportunity of a more practicable, cheap, and implementable alternative to reducing GHG emissions. The study was carried out through desk review of existing literatures, complimented by interview of key stakeholders. The findings of the study reveals that the concept of nature-based climate solutions is not new to Nigeria as many government policy documents has already captured it. There are many ongoing government programmes and projects that are generally part of the nature-based climate solutions. Findings of the study reveals that nature-based solutions provide a more practicable and cheaper means to naturally remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and that the forests have the greatest amounts of cost-effective mitigation opportunities of up to about two thirds of all nature-based climate solutions globally. Based on the findings, the study recommends the need to build nature-based solutions as key component of the national portfolio of solutions to address the challenges of climate change in the country.