By Abubakar Ojima-Ojo, Abuja
The Connected Development (CODE) has launched a policy brief to integrate faith-based organizations into climate justice and action.
Speaking at the unveiling in Abuja yesterday, the Chief Executive of CODE, Mallam Hamzat Lawal, said, “Today, we are launching this policy brief hoping that it will inspire action as we go into COP29.”
He said the government can leverage this to engage faith-based organizations and institutions across Nigeria to galvanize mass action and ensure climate justice.
According to him, community knowledge gaps can be reduced with faith-based communities leveraging existing knowledge about physical and environmental challenges as well as recognizing genuine risks associated with the decline in sources of livelihood across Nigeria.
Lawal said we believe that speaking up against injustice requires using moral and advocacy strategies, leveraging faith-based organizations to amplify the voices of vulnerable communities.
“We must demand accountability, but most importantly, we must leverage local knowledge to address climate justice and action in Nigeria.
“We have undertaken a research study, and this research has been launched into a policy brief for the government, faith-based organizations, and various institutions.
“We must come together and not work in silos because this research highlighted that we have been working in silos in Nigeria and other African countries.”
He noted that while poverty remains a challenge towards utilizing effective climate communication strategies, many faith-based organizations are already leading the way by providing alternatives to the global climate crisis affecting families.
“Today, we are here to leverage that gap, bringing together faith-based organizations, various clerics, both Muslim and Christian religious leaders, but most importantly, we are focused on uniting efforts.
” Therefore, we ask: Africa as a continent, with its strong moral foundation in faith, how can we leverage religious bodies, institutions like churches and mosques, imams and pastors to take climate change messages, knowledge, and information to grassroots communities so that we can galvanize mass action to ensure climate justice?”
Meanwhile,Lawal stated that the President recently appointed Ajuri Obari Ngelale to coordinate climate action.
“I think this evidence base is to set the tone for him in engaging not only civil society but, most importantly, faith-based organizations and various faith-based institutions because you cannot leave them behind.
“They are powerful voices that we must leverage, particularly in the context of Nigeria.”
