Bob Dewar

Carbon finance for Africa

Held a fascinating seminar in Lagos for companies and banks, all about the opportunities of using the Clean Development Mechanism approved at Kyoto. Experts from our climate change projects office in London explained how emission reductions in developing coutnries can lead through a well prepared project to credits on the international carbon markets. And it's all up there on the internet! You and I can read everything we need to know and perpare a project overnight. Africa has not benefited as much as it should from CDM since Kyoto under this mechanism but there are good prospects of greatly increasing the number of projects in Africa and Nigeria after the Copenhagen summit. Indeed why shouldn't Lagos become a bit of a hub for carbon finance for Africa? The driver behind one of Nigeria's three current CDM projects was also presented. It was an inspiring demonstration of how the system can be used for disseminating wood stoves that save 80 percent of firewood used!  Really useful especially for the north of the country where trees and wood fuel are disappearing fast. The other two current projects are linked to gas flaring- tremendous potential there of course in Nigeria.

Posted at 16:38 12 November 2009 by Bob Dewar  |  Comments[0]

The really hot issue for Africa

The poster launched in London by David and Ed Miliband showing what might happen to our blue planet if we don't keep climate change to 2 degrees C or less is dramatic. It is a really important message for Africa. Ordinary citizens have so many problems- just getting enough food to eat and getting kids into some sort of school with a decent teacher is a tough job. How then can they look up and understand the bigger picture- which is that climate change will change their children's lives dramatically for ever unless everyone, every government, every one with influence, takes action to get a balanced, brave, successful deal at Copenhagen? 
 
I was looking at expert analysis the other day of what 4 degrees increase might mean for the great rain forests of Africa which come only after South American ones in importance for world weather systems. Simply put, it would cause an ecological catastrophe with massive loss of forest cover, bringing more extreme weather and turning  carbon sinks into a significant carbon source. People in marginal lands of Africa are already learning about desertification. Will people living in the remaining great forests of Africa today only know savannah tomorrow, if they are lucky?

Posted at 15:37 27 October 2009 by Bob Dewar  |  Comments[1]

Planting the seeds of hope

I always believed small was beautiful from when I first read Shumaker's book all those years ago. Well, a few small but significant initiatives show what can be done in Nigeria on climate change. Firstly a training programme undertaken by a range of Nigerian civil socity organisation under the umbrella Nigerian CAN network (Climate Action Network) has meant they have been able to lobby for an equitable climate change deal and  to influence policy makers. Secondly a weather station in the extreme East of Nigeria (Taraba State) is now providing climate change data on the internet which can feed into climate modelling. Both funded by Britain, both seeds for the future.

Posted at 14:58 26 October 2009 by Bob Dewar  |  Comments[0]

Awareness about the environment

Participated in a thought provoking round table discussion last week in Lagos on climate change, organised by the British Council. The State of Lagos is doing a lot to raise awareness about the environment but the urgency of climate change has still to strike home to everyone.

Naturally in Lagos, much of which is very low lying, there is a lot of discussion of sea level rise and what it means. But my message was not to panic; instead there are things that all leaders, all individuals can do.  And, besides better planning, there should be great opportunities for use of new technology and funding that we hope will be part of the deal for developing countries at the December Copenhagen summit.

So far as the UK team goes,  we decided to work as much as possible with both the private sector and Lagos state Government in coming months, trying to improve shared understanding and joint cooperation between them. Also trying to help on waste management and other specific areas.

Posted at 16:00 14 July 2009 by Bob Dewar  |  Comments[0]

Discussion about the environment

While still in Kano, chaired a workshop organised at the lovely British Council office about the impact of climate change on the North. Many experts talked grimly about desertification; urgent need for new energy sources to reduce pressure on wood; and the way the Koran and the Bible support the environment and planting of trees.

Education, awareness, understanding the extent of the problem, changing attitudes, getting community 'ownership', were all themes that emerged.  What's clear is that adapting to the impact of climate change should be a big agenda for the North. We'll do what we can to help.

Posted at 10:09 19 May 2009 by Bob Dewar  |  Comments[0]

The days are getting colder..

Just finished a few weeks of training in London. One thing I have learnt is that one can never stop learning and developing. One of the courses was ‘leadership’. I offered my views that leadership includes liberating others to fulfil their own potential.

I’m glad we’ve greatly increased the training budget in our missions in Nigeria. Helping staff to take learning and development seriously is win win for everyone. I hope the quality of our performance and the high standards we set for ourselves can also have some influence outside the mission.

The days are getting colder in Britain so I’m looking forward to getting back to some African heat! I’ve talked to many Government colleagues in different Ministries about our busy work schedule in months ahead. We hope to do a lot in partnership with our new Ministry of Energy and Climate Change for example. But almost every part of the UK government is working with Nigeria –which shows how foreign and domestic policies are one and the same. Better governance, legitimate migration, links to international standards and skills, good services – these are all basic elements of what we try to contribute to every day on the ground.

Had some very useful meetings with important British companies and banks doing business with Nigeria. They are all watching the situation carefully and want to make the right – constructive - judgements as things move forward. Had a friendly meeting with my opposite number, the Nigerian High Commissioner and also met the head of the association of Nigerians in the UK, who can really make a positive contribution back in Nigeria.

Posted at 17:29 29 October 2008 by Bob Dewar  |  Comments[0]

A good omen

Very busy last week accompanying Lord Malloch-Brown as he travelled around on a three day official visit to Lagos and Abuja. He is well known here as a constructive friend of Nigeria and Africa and was warmly received by President Yar'Adua.

He came to follow up the visit to London of the President and he met a great range of people ranging from Federal and State Governments (including the Governor of Lagos) to the Speaker and many stakeholders in the private sector and civil society. The discussions in all these meetings were very interesting and wide ranging as befits the rather special relationship between the two countries. From climate change to migration, from the need for better development and governance in the Niger Delta to electoral reform. We encourage all the reforms to go forward.

There was a rainbow in the distance at the goodbye do for Lord Malloch-Brown. A good omen.

Posted at 10:28 17 September 2008 by Bob Dewar  |  Comments[0]