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BEFORE WE ARE SMOLDERED BY A SCORCHING EARTH

2024 remains the hottest year in history since records started in 1948 with 21 of August 2024 standing as the hottest. The implications are numerous with forest and wildfires on the road to increasing by 50% before the end of the century. The sad reality is that Exxon Mobil declared a profit of $33.1 billion and Chevron on the other hand declared $18.3 billion all in 2024. All these are from fossil fuels which is the causal factor of increasing temperatures. It will be recalled that temperatures in 2024 crossed the 1.5▪︎c ( 1.55▪︎c) in August making it the hottest in almost a century. The astronomical number of 50% rise in wildfires is largely due to scorching temperatures drying up leaves, excess wind coming from rising sea levels and temperatures including invasive organisms attacking biodiversity and ecosystems thereby creating excessive ingredients for wildfires. These substantially attack the 3 cardinal deliverables of the Paris Agreement goals : reduction in global warming, climate financing and five years audit of the NDC. I am convinced that the road to achieving net zero in carbon emissions before 2050 remain renewable energy sources and solar power plants. That is why I consider the mission 300 by the African leaders and IRA projects of the United States government appropriate response to climate change crisis. The world climate situation was more telling during the WEF in Davos when indigenous people in vulnerable communities from AOSIS and other countries including Brazil raised concerns about the decimation of climate change on their lives and livelihoods. They reminded the World leaders at DAVOS of the consequences of ravaging climate and that if urgent actions were not employed to check the activities of the polluters, they stand the risk of being decimated by the effects of climate change. This is because their biodiversity and ecosystems are being destroyed at the rate beyond human efforts restoration. From the foregoing, COP30 is promising to address climate change crisis and increase the annual climate financing despite Trump’s recent withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, the 196 countries must resolve that the action of one individual must not derail the world greatest effort in addressing climate change. They need to demonstrate that the US did not consider the overarching issue before the uninformed and unguarded action. The Paris Agreement have continued to influence the direction of the earth in the last 10 years and no force will derail its goals. (For more knowledge and perspectives follow me on Twitter X @iyamuclimatech1 and Instagram iyamuclimatechange). You can send your views to iyamukenneth65@gmail.com or WhatsApp messages only to 07057447442

VICE PRESIDENT SHETTIMA DEPARTS FOR DAVOS TO ATTEND WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM

Vice President Kashim Shettima has departed Abuja to represent Nigeria at the 2025 annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland. He will join world leaders, top business executives, and representatives of development partners to discuss the state of the world economy and explore ways to improve its conditions. In a statement, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, said the Vice President’s engagements in Davos will include bilateral meetings with other leaders, as well as participation in workshops and forums. Nkwocha noted that the Vice President will attend a workshop entitled “Roadmap to Co-create Investment Opportunities for Africa’s Frontier Markets” organized by the African Development Bank in collaboration with the World Economic Forum. The workshop aims to boost the flow of capital into Africa’s frontier markets and scale solutions that build a prosperous, inclusive, and resilient continent. The Vice President will also attend a dinner for heads of state, government, and international organizations, as well as Annual Meeting 2025 Crystal Awardees, the International Business Council, and Strategic Partners. Nkwocha stated that Senator Shettima will co-chair a forum on “Turning Digital Trade into a Catalyst for Growth in Africa” at the Pischa Congress Centre. The session will provide a dynamic platform for forward-thinking dialogue on digital trade and the crucial role of the private sector in advancing the implementation of the AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol. Furthermore, Nkwocha said the Vice President will attend, as a panelist, a Stakeholder Dialogue entitled “Global Risks 2025”. The Global Risks Report highlights an increasingly volatile global landscape, marked by accelerating geopolitical, technological, and environmental challenges. Nkwocha added that the Vice President will be accompanied by top government functionaries, including Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, and Executive Secretary of Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), Aisha Rimi. Stanley Nkwocha concluded that the Vice President will return to Abuja at the end of his engagements in Davos.