National Experience on Building Awareness for (UNFCCC) in Nigeria by Damian Ihedioha, PhD Programme Director Nigerian Environmental Study /Action Team, NEST;

Background Nigerians recognize that Climate Change is a major global challenge which require collaborative effort to make any discernable impact. Nigerians also believe that the industrialized countries are responsible for most of the emissions, that poor countries would be worst affected due to poor economic base, lack of early warning signals, high cost of adaptation, fragile ecosystems, etc

Nigeria Climate Campaign The Nigerian Environmental Study/Action Team (NEST), in collaboration with the FME, Nigeria, and support from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) implemented a project on Public Awareness raising on climate change. The Climate Campaign was borne out of a needs assessment of what would be done to address climate change issues in Nigeria. The study spanned from 2001 – 2003.

Need for Awareness The need to make information available timely, and in a forms that make meaning to identified stakeholders; Reality of climate change in Nigeria vary according to ecological zone in Nigeria. NGOs were given grants to do climate change related activities in communities. focused group and roundtable discussions held for men and women of 75 years, mostly local farmers

Conclusions People accepted that something was wrong with the whether system, Communities blamed it on: lack of respect for elders; abandonment traditional religions; lack of respects for the gods, annoyance from the gods, etc. One man actually blamed the elite (you and I) for this entire problem; People agreed that climate issue is complex and difficult; Showed that society faces many imminent threats, than what lie so far in the future

Conclusions (contd.) Nigerians realize that Climate issue is important, but are negative as regards making a personal commitment Important to communicate in a way that make people to relate the issue to everyday living. It is also important to point out individual solutions Communication strategies vary from one group to another, use pictorials for consequences We also noticed that Climate issue is yet not on the media’s agenda

Conclusions (contd.) There are currently many people involved with the climate issue, but there is no coordinated work in this area Involving media coverage in all campaigns is key Climate change language is very technical; there is paucity of human resources to water- down these terms for easy understanding. Policy makers want facts to show that Climate Change is real, before policy formulation Incorporation, of key issues as poverty alleviation, employment, food security, etc.

Conclusion (contd.) “Experience has shown that public awareness initiatives have not yielded the required impacts. Awareness raising on issues that impact on humanity, MUST have a ‘human face’ in its dissemination.” – Damian Ihedioha, 2003 Thank you