The Centre for Climate Change and Development (CCCD) at the Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu Alike Ikwo (AEFUNAI) in Ebonyi State has received a grant-donation of $40,000 from Climateworks Foundation to support its works towards achieving Nigeria’s long term climate goals.
The Director of the Centre, Prof. Chukwumerije Okereke, made this known when he led members of his team on a courtesy visit to the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Sunday O. Elom.
Climateworks Foundation is a San Franciso-based non-profit organization founded in 2008, with a mission to slow global warming by funding organizations internationally to help find best practices to cut down on carbon dioxide emissions.
Speaking during the visit, Okereke stated that the essence was to inform the VC about the activities of the Centre so far – highlighting its success stories and challenges for the past three years, and to inform him of the latest donation of $40,000 bequeathed to the Centre for sustained works on Nigeria’s long-term by Climateworks Foundation.
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Okereke said that so far, the Centre has made giant strides in the fight against climate change both in Nigeria and outside the shores of the country by attracting and executing different climate change projects such as drafting the Climate Change Policy for Ebonyi State Government, creating awareness and engaging key stakeholders during the revision of the Nigerian Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), as well as the Deep De-Carbonisation Project in collaboration with the Nigerian government and some selected Nigerian universities.
He stated that the Centre has attended different international events, including the COP26 in Glasgow as well as represented Universities in Nigerian at a global high-powered meeting on “Climate Reality Leadership Corps Session.
“The Centre is arguably the most dynamic and most popular in Africa and that is why the Federal Government is looking up to us to assist in executing climate change-related projects and events,” he said.
He, however, stated that despite the successes recorded, the centre is still having to grapple with some challenges, including a lack of enough office space.
“We, therefore, appeal to the VC to approve for additional three office spaces close to the Centre to be used for lecture room (equipped with state-of-art teaching gadgets), mini library (to be equipped with laptops and textbooks) and additional office apartment due to the number of projects the Centre is involved in,” he said.
Story was adapted from Environ News Nigeria.
