Nigeria promises to boost land rights and protect forests ahead of climate talks

Nigeria, on Wednesday, reaffirmed its commitment to boosting land rights and protecting forests as countries work hard to stop and reverse deforestation by 2030.

The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, shared Nigeria's stance at a high-level meeting of leaders, ministers, and senior officials getting ready for the upcoming United Nations climate talks, COP30 in Brazil and COP31 in Türkiye.

The meeting took place in London. It gathered representatives from countries with rich forests, donor nations, and climate partners to review how forest conservation is progressing and discuss actions needed before the 2030 deadline to end forest loss.

While speaking at the event, the minister pointed out several initiatives Nigeria is working on to restore damaged land and improve environmental sustainability. These include the Great Green Wall project and the National Clean Cooking Policy.

He also reiterated Nigeria’s support for the Intergovernmental Land Tenure Commitment (ILTC). This global initiative aims to strengthen land rights for Indigenous Peoples and local communities. It is also a strategy for protecting forests and dealing with climate change.

According to him, securing land rights is crucial for achieving long-term environmental goals and supporting communities that rely on forests and natural resources.

The gathering was themed “From Glasgow to Addis Ababa: FCLP and COP Presidencies Building Momentum on Forests from COP30 to COP31.” The focus was on keeping political support for global commitments to stop and reverse forest loss.

The event was organized under the Forest and Climate Leaders’ Partnership (FCLP). This coalition of governments aims to reduce deforestation, restore damaged land, and improve accountability for climate promises related to forests.

Participants emphasized that forests are one of the best tools for fighting climate change, preserving biodiversity, and supporting sustainable livelihoods.

COP30 President André Aranha Corrêa do Lago said countries need to go beyond making promises and focus on taking action.

“The shift from ambition to implementation is critical if the world is to meet its target of halting and reversing deforestation and forest degradation by 2030,” he said.

Along with Nigeria, Indonesia and Ghana shared updates on their programs meant to strengthen forest governance and support climate action.

Indonesia talked about its efforts to protect vast peatlands and mangrove ecosystems. These areas are seen as some of the world’s most effective natural carbon sinks.

Indonesia’s Forestry Minister, Raja Juli Antoni, mentioned that the country has about 3.4 million hectares of mangroves, which make up nearly a quarter of global mangrove ecosystems.

Ghana, on the other hand, announced its progress in issuing forest carbon credits under its Jurisdictional REDD+ program. This initiative aims to attract investment in forest conservation while improving local lives.

Ghana’s Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Yusif Sulemana, called for a strong international framework for forest carbon markets. He said such systems could bring in more funding for conservation efforts.

New commitments from Peru and Brazil on land rights were also announced at the meeting.

Peru officially endorsed the Intergovernmental Land Tenure Commitment, becoming the 16th country to join this initiative.

Peruvian Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Ignacio Higueras Hare, said secure land rights are essential for climate action, protecting biodiversity, and sustainable development.

“Strengthening territorial rights is one of the most effective investments countries can make for forests and future generations,” he said.

Brazil shared new measures to strengthen land rights for Indigenous Peoples, people of African descent, and local communities.

Brazil announced plans to allocate three million hectares of undesignated federal public land this year. This will create 67 Indigenous territories and recognize nine Quilombola territories.

In a major funding announcement, Norway pledged 500 million Norwegian kroner, which is about $55 million each year for the next three years. This funding will support civil society organizations working on sustainable forest management and land-use programs.

The money will focus on initiatives for Indigenous rights, community livelihoods, forest protection, and fighting forest-related crime.

Norway’s Minister of Climate and the Environment, Andreas Bjelland Eriksen, said protecting forests needs ongoing investment in communities and organizations working on conservation’s front lines.

The Forest and Climate Leaders’ Partnership was created to help countries turn forest promises into real actions. This will be done through stronger political leadership, better financing, and improved accountability.

As preparations for COP30 and COP31 continue, meeting participants stressed that securing land rights, helping local communities, and increasing forest funding will be key to achieving global climate goals and stopping further forest loss.