Hot SourceLinus Aleke in Abuja
The Country Director of the Stakeholder Democracy Network (SDN), Florence Kayemba, at the weekend revealed that carbon offset initiatives have the potential to address some of the underlying drivers of crime and violence in the Niger Delta region.
Kayemba stated this at the National Dissemination of the Carbon Offset Study Report and Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue, funded by the European Union, which was held in Abuja.
The central theme of the programme was: “From Degradation to Regeneration: Local Solutions for Carbon Offsetting in the Niger Delta, Community-Centred Approach to Transforming Criminality & Violence in the Niger Delta.”
Kayemba said the project was aimed at reducing crime and violence in the Niger Delta region, stating that the multi-stakeholder dialogue was important to the region.
She said: “As an organisation that has worked in the Niger Delta for over 20 years, we have seen the scars of gas flaring, oil spills, and other types of pollution that continue to pervade our region.
“These have affected livelihoods, contributed to unemployment, and also to crime and violence, which—if we are honest—continue to be on the rise.”
Speaking earlier, the host and Acting Country Director of Search for Common Ground (SCG), Karno Ouattara, stated that a recent study by the University of Port Harcourt on carbon offsets has illuminated how carbon market opportunities can be harnessed not only to reduce emissions, but also to create alternative livelihoods, restore ecosystems, and strengthen community resilience.
He also stated that by aligning carbon offset strategies with the aspirations of local communities, the initiative ensures that environmental solutions also serve as peacebuilding tools—breaking the cycle of ecological harm, economic exclusion, and conflict, and paving the way for a greener, safer, and more prosperous Niger Delta.
Ouattara noted that the initiative aligns with the European Union-funded Community-Centred Approach to transforming criminality and violence in the Niger Delta. He stressed that the national dialogue and dissemination forum builds directly on state and regional dialogues already convened across the Niger Delta.
He said: “We are truly delighted to see such a diverse gathering of policymakers, practitioners, researchers, private sector actors, community leaders, and development partners – all united by a common purpose: to find inclusive and sustainable solutions to the complex challenges facing the Niger Delta.
“The Niger Delta is a paradox of Africa’s abundance and adversity. While it remains one of the richest regions in terms of natural resource endowment, decades of gas flaring, oil spills, artisanal refining, and unsustainable extraction practices have left communities grappling with environmental degradation, loss of livelihoods, and worsening health challenges.
“Today, we take the next step – to disseminate the findings of the scoping study, to integrate state and regional insights into national strategies, to foster consensus and collective ownership of carbon offset mechanisms, and to promote people-centred solutions that prioritise both environmental resilience and peace.”
The Programme Manager at the European Foreign Policy Institute, Dakar, Mr Eric Pitos, said the purpose of the discussion was to examine how the insights from the study can inform policy, guide investment, and strengthen cooperation at national, regional, and global levels.
The EU, he said, remains firmly committed to the Paris Agreement and to the path towards climate neutrality by 2050.
“With the European Green Deal, we have shown that economic growth and emissions reductions go hand in hand. Since 1990, our emissions have fallen by 37 per cent, while our economy has grown by around 70 per cent.
“This demonstrates that decarbonisation is not only possible, but is also a driver of competitiveness, resilience, and prosperity. Carbon pricing is at the heart of the green transition,” he said.
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