LIVE UPDATES
The National Council on Climate Change, on behalf of the Federal Government, has approved a program to distribute 80 million free clean cookstoves to households.
The goal is to address the global climate crisis, environmental issues, and improve livelihoods.
This initiative is being carried out by Greenplinth Africa, in collaboration with strategic partners.
According to Greenplinth, this is the largest clean cooking systems project globally and is a significant step in addressing the negative health and environmental effects of traditional cooking methods, such as indoor air pollution and deforestation.
President Dr. Olawale Akinwumi stated that the distribution of these cookstoves will greatly improve the lives of those, particularly women and children, who are impacted by harmful traditional cooking practices.
He observed that the use of clean and efficient cookstoves would result in better indoor air quality, decreased respiratory illnesses, and the reduction of carbon emissions, thereby helping to mitigate climate change.
The Director General of the National Council on Climate Change, Dr. Salisu Dahiru, formally endorsed the project, emphasizing its potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote forest development, and create job opportunities.
He also highlighted the additional benefits of the project, including a decrease in upper respiratory infections and overall improvement in health conditions.
The Vice President, Dr. Victor Fodeke, a previous Climate Change Technical adviser to the African Union, expressed hope that Nigerians would reap the benefits of the project while also making a valuable contribution to global initiatives aimed at addressing climate change.
Fodeke mentioned that the project involves a campaign for afforestation and aims to plant four billion trees with economic value.
