Nigeria's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, has urged BRICS to increase climate financing support to developing nations to enable the Global South to pursue ambitious climate targets while maintaining economic growth.
Tuggar, who spoke on behalf of Nigeria's President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Nigerian delegation, called on BRICS nations to lead a transformative global agenda that addresses the twin challenges of climate change and health inequity.
"We believe COP30 must grasp the challenge of allowing the Global South to grow economically while safeguarding our collective responsibility to meet the challenge of climate change," he said.
While outlining Nigeria's vision for a just transition and the need for urgent, unified action, Tuggar emphasised that the health of the planet and the health of people are linked and must be treated as such.
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
"The climate emergency knows no borders. Just like global healthcare, we fix our own problems when we work together," he stated.
Despite contributing minimally to global emissions, Africa is disproportionately affected by climate change, the Minister said.
He cited examples from Nigeria, including deadly flooding in Mokwa, increasing desertification in the north, and rising sea levels in the Niger Delta, all of which are taking a toll on lives and livelihoods.
Tuggar noted, "Climate change is not a 'tomorrow problem' for Nigeria," calling attention to Nigeria's investments in renewable energy, including hydro and solar and affirmed the country's commitment to initiatives such as the African Carbon Market and the Great Green Wall.
On global health, Tuggar warned that the inequities exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic demand a complete reinvention of global health systems.
"Would so many children still die of malaria if this were a level playing field?" he asked. "COVID-19 was a tragedy, but also a warning."
He reaffirmed Nigeria's readiness to strengthen South-South health diplomacy through regional vaccine hubs, biotechnology and genomics research, and skills transfer, noting that the goal is to prevent climate-induced health crises and ensure no child dies from a lack of access to routine healthcare.
