Buhari Heads for Paris, to Participate in ‘One Planet Summit’

President Muhammadu Buhari will tomorrow join over 50 other world leaders to participate in ‘One Planet Summit’ in Paris, France.

The summit, according to the president’s media adviser, Mr. Femi Adesina, is jointly organised by the United Nations, World Bank Group, and French government in collaboration with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) seeking the reversal of  negative effects of climate change.

Naming Bloomberg Philanthropies as one of such NGOs, Adesina said the summit would hold at the eco-friendly La Seine Musicale, located on the picturesque Seguin Island in Western Paris.

With the theme, ‘Climate Change Financing,’ Adesina quoted the organisers of the summit as saying that the main focus of the gathering  would be to innovatively pool public and private finance “to support and accelerate our common efforts to fight climate change.”

He added: “While recognising that all countries are affected by the effects of climate change under ‘One Planet’ but some are more vulnerable, the summit seeks for tangible collective action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“Before heading for the summit venue, the Nigerian leader will attend a lunch hosted by President Emmanuel Macron of France for Heads of State and Governments at the Elysee Palace.

“President Buhari and other world leaders and participants will make presentations under four sub-themes namely: Scaling-up Finance for Climate Action; Greening Finance for Sustainable Business; Accelerating Local and Regional Climate Action; and Strengthening Policies for Ecological and Inclusive Transition.”

He recalled that Buhari, while signing the Paris Agreement on Climate Change at the sidelines of the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 22, 2016,  said the agreement “demonstrated Nigeria’s commitment to global efforts to reverse the effects of the negative trend.”

According to him, the president later accompanied that move by signing the Instrument of Ratification of the Paris Agreement on March 28, 2017 at the State House, Abuja, which he said made Nigeria the 146th party to the Paris Treaty.

“It became binding on the country effective June 15, 2017, one month after the submission of the Ratification instrument to the United Nations on May 16, 2017 by Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Prof. Tijjani Bande.

“The participation of Nigeria’s delegation at the One Planet Summit will reinforce the country’s commitment to realising the objectives of the Paris Agreement.

“The president, who will depart for Paris today, accompanied by the governors of Adamawa, Kano and Ondo States, and Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Environment, will return to Abuja on Thursday,” the statement added.

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