Nigeria
Thank you Mr. Chairman,
My delegation associates itself with the statement delivered by the representatives of
Singapore and Tanzania on behalf of the Group of 77 and China and the African Group
respectively. We also commend the highly insightful and elaborative presentations by the
panelist on this thematic issue of sustainable consumption and production.
Mr. Chairman,
My delegation recalls that at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, the issue of sustainable
consumption and production was extensively discussed. Ten years after, at the World Summit on
Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in 2002, all countries agreed on the need to eradicate
poverty and change unsustainable production and consumption patterns. Today, the issue is still
before us. The 18th and 19th Sessions of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development
offer us yet another unique opportunity to address the issue.
Nigeria is the most populated country in Africa and is endowed with rich mineral and agricultural
resources, including biodiversity. This has implications on our production and consumption patterns.
Nigeria is very much aware of the need to ensure that her development is sustainable. We have
therefore put in place various policies, actions and programmes to address the issue of sustainable
production and consumption. Specific policies have been developed for each sector, for example, the
National Policy on Environment; National Industrial Policy, National Policy on Agriculture, and
the National Energy Policy. Various action plans such as the Vision 2020:20 and the National
Agenda 21 have been developed through a participatory process involving all stakeholders at all
levels in both public and private sectors, including the civil society.
Various institutions have also been established by the Government in this regard. National Agency for
Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), is responsible for enforcing standards on
food and drugs; Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) establishes standards for products and
processes; Department of Petroleum Resources regulates petroleum production and consumption;
Consumer Protection Council (CPC) deals with the protection of consumer interests; National
Environmental Standards and Regulation Enforcement Agency (NESREA) enforces compliance of
environmental laws, standards, regulations and guidelines, including the provisions of environmental
conventions and treaties to which Nigeria is a signatory. The mandate of various Ministries and
Departments of the Government also support programmes on sustainable consumption and
production.
Mr. Chairman,
All these policy instruments and institutional mechanisms are efforts by Nigeria to protect human
health and the environment, and to ensure sustainable production and consumption of our natural
resources.
Petroleum is our highest foreign exchange earner and sustainable utilization of the resource is of high
priority to the Government. Various strategies have been put in place to ensure sustainable production
and utilization of our oil and gas. The gas reinjection programme, the tax incentives on investments
in eco-friendly and clean technology projects, and the mandatory environmental impact assessment
of any project with potential negative impact on human health and the environment, are some of the
efforts of Nigeria in this regard.
Nigeria is concerned about the lack of global equal playing field in the sustainable consumption and
production patterns. We view it as unethical, situations where sub-standard technologies, obsolete
products and services that are polluting and harmful to humans and the environment are sent to
developing countries like Nigeria under various guises, especially when unfortunately, the exporters
are fully mindful that such exports do not meet the required standards in their own countries. A
situation also where multinational companies will have different rules and operational guidelines in
their parent companies and in their subsidiary in the developing countries, creates opportunities for
double standards and malpractices.
Mr. Chairman,
Nigeria welcomes the Marrakech process. It is our hope that the evolving work of the Process and the
10-year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Production and Consumption will lead to a clear
understanding and appreciation of the proper mix of measures - voluntary, market-based and
mandatory ? that can promote sustainable production and consumption. The challenge of the
framework therefore must be to identify actions that must facilitate the shift from unsustainable to
sustainable production and consumption. And this will require equity and transparency, education and
public awareness, knowledge-sharing, access to technologies, training, technical support and capacity
building, particularly for developing countries.
Nigeria supports the view expressed by the Secretary General in his report on this thematic area about
the necessity for complementary regulatory and market-based measures. We believe that such
measures can create the required incentives to change business models and align resource use and
resource costs. We also believe that sustainability principles must be entrenched in such business
models.
In conclusion, global efforts to promote sustainable production and consumption patterns will be more
meaningful only when those who produce more and consume more are able to do more to address the
emerging issues. Nigeria will continue to intensify efforts at the country level to ensure sustainable
production and consumption. We shall also support efforts and initiatives and partner with the
international community on projects and programmes at the regional and global levels to address the
issue.
I thank you.
My delegation associates itself with the statement delivered by the representatives of
Singapore and Tanzania on behalf of the Group of 77 and China and the African Group
respectively. We also commend the highly insightful and elaborative presentations by the
panelist on this thematic issue of sustainable consumption and production.
Mr. Chairman,
My delegation recalls that at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, the issue of sustainable
consumption and production was extensively discussed. Ten years after, at the World Summit on
Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in 2002, all countries agreed on the need to eradicate
poverty and change unsustainable production and consumption patterns. Today, the issue is still
before us. The 18th and 19th Sessions of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development
offer us yet another unique opportunity to address the issue.
Nigeria is the most populated country in Africa and is endowed with rich mineral and agricultural
resources, including biodiversity. This has implications on our production and consumption patterns.
Nigeria is very much aware of the need to ensure that her development is sustainable. We have
therefore put in place various policies, actions and programmes to address the issue of sustainable
production and consumption. Specific policies have been developed for each sector, for example, the
National Policy on Environment; National Industrial Policy, National Policy on Agriculture, and
the National Energy Policy. Various action plans such as the Vision 2020:20 and the National
Agenda 21 have been developed through a participatory process involving all stakeholders at all
levels in both public and private sectors, including the civil society.
Various institutions have also been established by the Government in this regard. National Agency for
Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), is responsible for enforcing standards on
food and drugs; Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) establishes standards for products and
processes; Department of Petroleum Resources regulates petroleum production and consumption;
Consumer Protection Council (CPC) deals with the protection of consumer interests; National
Environmental Standards and Regulation Enforcement Agency (NESREA) enforces compliance of
environmental laws, standards, regulations and guidelines, including the provisions of environmental
conventions and treaties to which Nigeria is a signatory. The mandate of various Ministries and
Departments of the Government also support programmes on sustainable consumption and
production.
Mr. Chairman,
All these policy instruments and institutional mechanisms are efforts by Nigeria to protect human
health and the environment, and to ensure sustainable production and consumption of our natural
resources.
Petroleum is our highest foreign exchange earner and sustainable utilization of the resource is of high
priority to the Government. Various strategies have been put in place to ensure sustainable production
and utilization of our oil and gas. The gas reinjection programme, the tax incentives on investments
in eco-friendly and clean technology projects, and the mandatory environmental impact assessment
of any project with potential negative impact on human health and the environment, are some of the
efforts of Nigeria in this regard.
Nigeria is concerned about the lack of global equal playing field in the sustainable consumption and
production patterns. We view it as unethical, situations where sub-standard technologies, obsolete
products and services that are polluting and harmful to humans and the environment are sent to
developing countries like Nigeria under various guises, especially when unfortunately, the exporters
are fully mindful that such exports do not meet the required standards in their own countries. A
situation also where multinational companies will have different rules and operational guidelines in
their parent companies and in their subsidiary in the developing countries, creates opportunities for
double standards and malpractices.
Mr. Chairman,
Nigeria welcomes the Marrakech process. It is our hope that the evolving work of the Process and the
10-year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Production and Consumption will lead to a clear
understanding and appreciation of the proper mix of measures - voluntary, market-based and
mandatory ? that can promote sustainable production and consumption. The challenge of the
framework therefore must be to identify actions that must facilitate the shift from unsustainable to
sustainable production and consumption. And this will require equity and transparency, education and
public awareness, knowledge-sharing, access to technologies, training, technical support and capacity
building, particularly for developing countries.
Nigeria supports the view expressed by the Secretary General in his report on this thematic area about
the necessity for complementary regulatory and market-based measures. We believe that such
measures can create the required incentives to change business models and align resource use and
resource costs. We also believe that sustainability principles must be entrenched in such business
models.
In conclusion, global efforts to promote sustainable production and consumption patterns will be more
meaningful only when those who produce more and consume more are able to do more to address the
emerging issues. Nigeria will continue to intensify efforts at the country level to ensure sustainable
production and consumption. We shall also support efforts and initiatives and partner with the
international community on projects and programmes at the regional and global levels to address the
issue.
I thank you.
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