The President of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu has declared that the country is committed to eliminating oil and gas releases of methane as part of a global plan to rein in emissions that contribute to climate change.
He made this known while speaking at a world leaders’ event that focused on Methane and other Non-CO2 Greenhouse gases at the ongoing United Nations Climate Conference in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
‘We are committed to critical steps to reduce methane emissions by ensuring flared gases are eliminated. There’s a huge penalty for that,’ he said.
‘There is equally a huge incentive to do so. The measures that we are taking here are a welcome development.’
‘I can assure you that we will be the partners in progress to achieve renewables. We are committed to the energy mix,’ the Nigerian leader, dressed in his signature flowing blue agbada, circular-rimmed spectacles with a cap, told the gathering on Saturday
‘We are providing cooking gas to our large population. We will continue to do that. We set off on the reduction of methane. Will we leverage new technology.’
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Africa Today News, New York reports that President Tinubu was joined by COP28 President Dr Sultan Al Jaber, China’s climate change envoy, Xie Zhenhua, and U.S. Climate Envoy, John Kerry. who said there is an urgent need to take action.
According to Kerry, the United States has taken steps to sharply reduce methane in its oil and gas operations.
Experts has repeatedly come out to point out that Methane tends to leak into the atmosphere undetected from drill sites, gas pipelines, and other oil and gas equipment. It has more warming potential than carbon dioxide and breaks down in the atmosphere faster.