International Climate Change Development Initiative (ICCDI), Centre for 21st Century Issues (C21ST), and Connected Advocacy (CA) have sensitised members of the Difa community in Yamaltu/Deba Local Government Area of Gombe State on net-zero carbon emission.

The theme of the sensitisation is “Raising Awareness on Net Zero in Nigeria.”

Speaking at the one-day community sensitisation on emission reduction held in the Difa community on Tuesday, August 8, 2023, the convener of the event, Mr Olumide Idowu of ICCDI, said that rural dwellers were critical stakeholders in an effort to mitigate climate change.

Idowu said tackling climate change was an urgent challenge that required collective efforts of all stakeholders.

He said if progress must be recorded towards achieving the net-zero carbon emission target, the campaign must ensure that no one was left behind, hence the reason the CSOs took the awareness to Difa, which is a rural settlement.

According to him, five states of Kaduna, Abuja, Lagos, Enugu and Edo have been visited for net-zero campaign and Gombe State is the last state.

He stated that the engagement with the community had helped the CSOs to identify the problems that Difa community was facing on environmental and climate change issues and since they started this conversation, they have been able to gather lots of information and also understand that net-zero conversation is what people are doing daily in their environments.

Idowu, while commending Difa community for showing concern on issues of climate change and the need to reduce carbon emission, said the community now had a better understanding on the net-zero.

He appealed to the government and all stakeholders to intensify efforts towards raising awareness about emission reductions and climate change mitigation in Nigeria.