Climate Change Is a Human Rights Crisis, Says NHRC
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has inaugurated the National Working Group on Human Rights and Climate Change, reaffirming that climate change is not only an environmental challenge but also a critical human rights issue affecting millions of Nigerians.
Speaking at the inauguration in Abuja, the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Chief Tony Ojukwu, OFR, SAN, said the devastating impact of climate change extends beyond rising temperatures to the loss of lives, livelihoods and human dignity.
According to him, flooding, prolonged drought, displacement, food insecurity and conflicts over dwindling natural resources have become daily realities for many Nigerians, making it imperative for climate policies to prioritize the protection of human rights.
“Climate change is not just about rising temperatures. It is about people. It is about families losing their homes, farmers losing their livelihoods, communities being uprooted and vulnerable people falling deeper into poverty,” Ojukwu stated.
He stressed that every climate policy should be guided by a fundamental question: How does it affect people?
The newly inaugurated Working Group, established through a partnership involving the NHRC, the Federal Ministry of Environment and the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), is expected to ensure that Nigeria’s climate response protects the rights and dignity of its citizens, particularly vulnerable communities.
The body will bring together government agencies, civil society organisations, academics and development partners to promote human rights-based climate policies and ensure that those most affected by climate change are actively involved in decision-making.
Representing the Minister of Environment, Dr. Iniobong Abiola Awe reaffirmed the Federal Ministry of Environment’s commitment to implementing climate policies that leave no one behind.
Also speaking, the Director-General of the National Council on Climate Change, Dr. (Mrs.) Omotenioye Majekodunmi, noted that climate-induced flooding, migration, farmer-herder conflicts and rising temperatures are no longer isolated environmental concerns but serious threats to lives, livelihoods and human dignity across Nigeria.
Founder of the Women Environmental Programme, Dr. Priscilla Achakpa, pledged the support of civil society organisations in advancing climate justice, particularly for women, youths and other vulnerable groups whose voices are often overlooked.
The Federal Commissioner for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Aliyu Tijani Ahmed, represented by former NHRC Director, Mr. Dahiru Bobbo, also reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to protecting persons displaced by climate-related disasters.
Similarly, the Presidency, through the Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Climate Change, Comrade Yussuf Olatunji Kelani, expressed support for the activities of the National Working Group.
The inauguration highlighted the growing recognition that climate change is a human rights challenge requiring coordinated action across government, civil society and development partners.
The NHRC emphasized that the initiative represents more than the establishment of another committee. Rather, it is a commitment to ensuring that people remain at the heart of Nigeria’s climate response, with policies designed to safeguard lives, dignity and the fundamental rights of all citizens.
The Commission maintained that protecting the environment must go hand in hand with protecting humanity, noting that addressing the human impact of climate change is a shared responsibility for all stakeholders.
