Gimba Kakanda@gimbakakanda
Because the Earth Speaks to Us
By
Vice President Kashim Shettima, GCON
Being the speech of His Excellency, Senator Kashim Shettima, Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, at the Leaders’ Climate Summit – COP30, Belém, Brazil, on Thursday, November 6, 2025.
Protocols.
There is no doubt that the choice of this beautiful place, Belém, where Amazon opens its arms to the world, as the host of this year’s gathering of the global climate leadership is both symbolic and inspiring. It reminds us of the essence of what the world seeks to preserve: the splendour of nature and the delicate balance of life that sustains us all. Nigeria, therefore, stands with the global community in the collective resolve to heal, to restore, and to sustain this place we call home.
2. We are here because the Earth speaks to us. It speaks not in words, but through the devastations we witness every day — through the floods that wash away entire communities, through the droughts that parch our farmlands, through the hurricanes that batter coastal towns, through the wildfires that consume ancient forests, through the heatwaves that choke our cities, and through the conflicts that happen because of all of these. The Earth speaks in the language of loss and warning. It tells us that our survival is tied to its well-being. These are the cries that have compelled us to gather, from one city to another, in pursuit of one shared purpose — to save the only home we have.
3. So, I bring to you today not only the goodwill of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, but the assurance of Nigeria’s unflinching commitment to climate action. We thank the government and people of the Federative Republic of Brazil for their exceptional hospitality.
4. A few days ago, Nigeria took a bold step forward. We approved two landmark instruments — the National Carbon Market Framework and the Climate Change Fund. These are the pillars of our climate finance architecture. They are designed to build a transparent and high-integrity carbon market aligned with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. Through them, we can generate, trade, and retire carbon credits with credibility and fairness. We can mobilise billions of dollars in climate investments to finance adaptation, resilience, and green industrialisation. The proceeds will flow into the Climate Change Fund to support communities most affected by climate impacts. To guide this journey, we have launched a five-year Carbon Market Roadmap. This will establish an Emissions Trading System and a Carbon Tax regime, strengthened by fiscal incentives that reward clean innovation.
5. Excellencies, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, Nigeria’s Third Nationally Determined Contribution, validated and submitted in September 2025, marks an ambitious step in our climate journey. It commits us to an absolute emission reduction of 32% by 2035 and a net-zero target by 2060, supported by strategies across energy, agriculture, transport, waste, and industry. Our Decade of Gas Strategy anchors this transition, using natural gas to stabilise power and drive industrial growth while expanding solar and off-grid solutions for rural electrification. Through these efforts, we are powering small businesses, promoting clean energy, and transforming agricultural waste into opportunity.
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