A climate change and environmental think tank in Nigeria and Africa, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), and its partners, We the People, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) and the University of Abuja, will organise a presidential town hall on environment, climate change.

The aim of the event is premised on assessing Nigeria’s environment and climate change challenges in the context of policy options ahead of the 2023 elections.

According to EnvironNews, the townhall, scheduled for February 7, 2023, at the Main Auditorium, Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Abuja.

Presidential aspirants from the various political parties will have the opportunity to outline their plans and policies of the political parties in addressing the myriad of environment and climate crisis facing the country.

In a statement on Wednesday, February 1, by Nnimmo Bassey, Director of HOMEF, “While the well-being of the environment is a critical factor in a nation where most citizens depend directly on it for their existence, the issue has not been topical in the election conversation.”

He added: “The challenges of climate change in Nigeria have intensified in recent years. Nigeria, being one of the most impacted frontline countries, has seen an accelerated rate of desertification and flooding, twin manifestations that have seriously threatened security, and food sufficiency. Similarly, the production of crude oil and gas has resulted in profound destruction of the environment, especially in the Niger Delta.

“Twelve years after the release of the United Nations Environment Programme report on the State of the Ogoni Environment, no significant action has been taken to remediate and curtail further oil pollution in the region.”

The townhall meeting, according to the promoters, has the objective of providing a platform for presidential candidates in the 2023 general elections in Nigeria to discuss their plans and strategies for addressing critical environmental and climate challenges facing the country with Nigerian electorates.

Over 1,000 participants including civil society, the media, professional organisations, trade unions, students and the academia are expected at the townhall.