Super El Niño 2026–2027: What the World Needs to Know About the Emerging Climate Threat

As an exceptionally strong El Niño develops in the Pacific Ocean, scientists are warning of significant shifts in global temperatures and rainfall patterns. What could this mean for Africa, food security, water resources, and the future of climate resilience?

NASA Satellites Observe Historic 2026 El Niño

A Climate Event the World Cannot Afford to Ignore

A powerful climate phenomenon is developing in the tropical Pacific Ocean, attracting growing attention from climate scientists and international forecasting agencies. The phenomenon, known as El Niño, is strengthening rapidly, with forecasts indicating that the 2026–2027 event could rank among the strongest in the historical record.

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported in October 2026 that the probability of an exceptionally strong event had increased substantially. Its Climate Prediction Center identified a 70% probability that the event would reach a historic intensity threshold during November 2026–January 2027. Meanwhile, the International Research Institute for Climate and Society reported that weekly sea-surface temperature anomalies in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific had reached approximately 3.3°C above the long-term average by mid-October.

These developments have brought renewed attention to the expression Super El Niño, a popular term used to describe an exceptionally intense El Niño event.

However, an important distinction is necessary. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) does not use Super El Niño as an official classification. Instead, it categorises El Niño events by their intensity, including weak, moderate, strong, and very strong events.

Regardless of the terminology, the developing situation deserves serious attention. El Niño can influence weather patterns across continents, affecting agricultural production, water availability, ecosystems, public health, and economic stability.

For countries already confronting climate vulnerability, the central question is not simply how powerful this event might become. It is whether governments, institutions, businesses, and communities are prepared to respond.

Sources: NOAA Climate Prediction Center; International Research Institute for Climate and Society; WMO.

What Exactly Is El Niño?

El Niño is the warm phase of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), a naturally occurring climate pattern involving interactions between the tropical Pacific Ocean and the atmosphere above it.

Under normal conditions, trade winds push warm surface water westward across the tropical Pacific, allowing cooler, nutrient-rich water to rise near the coast of South America. These oceanic conditions influence atmospheric circulation and help shape rainfall patterns in different parts of the world.

During El Niño, the trade winds weaken, and unusually warm surface waters develop across the central and eastern equatorial Pacific. These changes disrupt the normal relationship between ocean temperatures, atmospheric pressure, winds, and rainfall.

As a result, regions thousands of kilometres away may experience changes in temperature and precipitation.

Some areas may experience prolonged dry spells, drought, and heightened wildfire risk. Others may face heavier rainfall, flooding, and landslides. Certain marine ecosystems can also be affected as warmer ocean waters alter nutrient availability and the distribution of marine species.

El Niño typically occurs every two to seven years, although its intensity, duration, and geographical effects vary considerably.

Importantly, El Niño does not produce the same consequences everywhere. Its effects depend on its strength, the season in which it develops, and its interaction with other climate systems.

In simple terms, El Niño is a natural ocean–atmosphere phenomenon that can reorganise weather patterns around the world.

Why Is the 2026–2027 El Niño Attracting So Much Attention?

The developing event is attracting attention because observations and forecasts indicate that it could become exceptionally strong.

In its October 2026 diagnostic discussion, NOAA reported that the El Niño was continuing to strengthen. Its forecast indicated a strong-to-very-strong event through January–March 2027 was likely, with the possibility of an event exceeding the strength of previous El Niño episodes recorded since 1950.

The International Research Institute for Climate and Society also reported substantial warming across the central and eastern equatorial Pacific. Its mid-October assessment showed that the event was already exceptionally intense and that multiple forecast models anticipated further strengthening.

These observations suggest that the world may be entering a period in which El Niño exerts a substantial influence on global climate patterns.

Nevertheless, three distinctions are essential.

First, an exceptionally strong El Niño does not automatically mean that every country will experience a disaster.

Second, global forecasts cannot determine the precise weather conditions that every community will experience months in advance.

Third, El Niño is not the sole determinant of extreme weather. Regional ocean conditions, atmospheric circulation, land characteristics, and human-driven climate change can all influence the severity and location of individual impacts.

The scientific priority is therefore to interpret the forecasts regionally and translate them into practical preparedness measures.

The Connection Between El Niño and Climate Change

One of the most important questions surrounding the emerging event is how it relates to global warming.

El Niño is a natural climate phenomenon. Human-induced climate change is driven primarily by the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, largely from burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and other human activities.

Although these are distinct processes, their effects can overlap.

El Niño generally raises global average temperatures temporarily by redistributing heat between the ocean and atmosphere. When it occurs against a background of long-term global warming, its contribution can push global temperatures to even higher levels.

The WMO identified the combined influence of the powerful 2023–2024 El Niño and human-induced climate change as an important factor in the exceptionally high global temperatures recorded in 2024.

However, it would be inaccurate to conclude that climate change necessarily causes stronger or more frequent El Niño events. The WMO notes that evidence does not establish such a general relationship.

What is clear is that a warmer atmosphere and ocean can amplify certain consequences associated with climate variability. Higher temperatures can intensify heat stress, increase evaporation, worsen drought conditions in susceptible regions, and contribute to more intense rainfall when atmospheric conditions favour heavy precipitation.

This distinction matters because climate resilience requires two complementary approaches: reducing greenhouse gas emissions to limit long-term warming and strengthening adaptation to climate events that societies cannot prevent.

El Niño is a natural phenomenon, but the extent of the damage it causes is influenced by human decisions.

What Could El Niño Mean for Africa?

Africa deserves particular attention because millions of people depend on rain-fed agriculture, climate-sensitive ecosystems, and water resources that are vulnerable to changing weather conditions.

However, the continent will not experience a uniform response. El Niño can produce different, and sometimes contrasting, effects across its regions.

1. Southern Africa: Drought and Agricultural Stress

Historically, El Niño has frequently been associated with below-average rainfall across substantial parts of southern Africa, particularly during the main agricultural season.

Reduced rainfall can affect maize production, pasture availability, livestock health, reservoir levels, and rural livelihoods.

When drought coincides with high temperatures, the consequences may become more severe. Water evaporates more rapidly, soils lose moisture, and crops may experience heat stress at critical stages of development.

For communities already affected by food insecurity, these conditions can increase pressure on household incomes and local food supplies.

Governments, agricultural organisations, and humanitarian agencies should therefore monitor seasonal forecasts, support water conservation, strengthen agricultural advisories, and prepare contingency measures where drought risks are elevated.

2. East Africa: Heavy Rainfall and Flooding Risks

El Niño has historically been associated with above-average rainfall in parts of equatorial East Africa, particularly during the October–December short-rains season.

Where unusually heavy rainfall occurs, the consequences can include flash floods, landslides, damaged roads, destroyed crops, contaminated water supplies, and displacement.

Excessive rainfall can also increase the risk of certain waterborne and vector-borne diseases.

However, wetter conditions are not guaranteed in every location, and the effects of the developing event must be assessed alongside regional climate forecasts.

Preparedness should include drainage maintenance, flood warnings, protection of water supplies, and the timely communication of risk information to vulnerable communities.

3. West Africa and the Sahel: Rainfall Uncertainty and Food Security

West Africa presents a particularly important case for climate preparedness.

Historical evidence suggests that El Niño can be associated with reduced rainfall in parts of the Sahel during the main agricultural season. However, the relationship is not consistent enough to predict the rainfall outcome for every country or season from El Niño alone.

Rainfall across West Africa is also influenced by tropical Atlantic sea-surface temperatures, atmospheric circulation, and other regional and global climate drivers.

A technical note published by the Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel in August 2026 specifically examined the implications of the developing El Niño for the 2026 rainy season in West Africa and the Sahel.

This reinforces the need for region-specific forecasting rather than assuming that the same impacts will occur throughout Africa.

For farmers, early warnings are valuable only when they translate into practical decisions: when to plant, which crops or varieties to select, how to conserve soil moisture, and when to protect livestock and stored food.

4. Nigeria: Why We Should Pay Attention

For Nigeria, the relevant question is how the developing El Niño may interact with the country's existing climate risks.

Agricultural production in many parts of the country depends on seasonal rainfall. Changes in the timing, distribution, or reliability of rainfall can affect crop yields, planting decisions, water availability, and the incomes of farming households.

High temperatures can also increase heat stress among outdoor workers, place pressure on electricity demand for cooling, and increase the need for reliable water supplies.

In some circumstances, heavy rainfall and flooding may create additional challenges for communities, infrastructure, and public health.

Nevertheless, it would be scientifically irresponsible to claim that a Super El Niño will necessarily cause a particular drought, flood, or temperature increase in Nigeria without supporting regional forecasts.

Nigeria's rainfall patterns are shaped by several interacting climate systems, and the consequences of El Niño may vary between the northern savannah, the Middle Belt, the southwestern region, and the humid south.

The appropriate response is to strengthen monitoring, consult seasonal forecasts from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), and communicate changing risks to farmers, public agencies, and communities.

For Nigeria, the lesson is clear: climate preparedness should be guided by reliable local forecasts, not by alarming global headlines.

Food Security: When Climate Variability Reaches the Dinner Table

One of the most consequential pathways through which El Niño can affect society is food security.

Agriculture depends on the availability of suitable temperatures, adequate water, healthy soils, and predictable growing conditions. When rainfall becomes unreliable or extreme temperatures coincide with sensitive stages of crop development, agricultural productivity can decline.

Drought can reduce crop yields and grazing resources. Flooding can destroy standing crops, wash away fertile topsoil, damage agricultural infrastructure, and disrupt transport networks.

These impacts can extend beyond the farm.

Lower production may place upward pressure on food prices, reduce the incomes of agricultural households, and increase the financial burden on families already struggling to afford nutritious food.

Fishing communities may also be affected. Changes in ocean temperatures and nutrient-rich upwelling can influence marine ecosystems and the distribution of commercially important fish species.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has emphasised the importance of early action to protect food production and rural livelihoods during El Niño events.

For countries with vulnerable food systems, practical priorities include:

• Providing farmers with timely, location-specific climate information.

• Promoting climate-resilient agricultural practices and appropriate crop varieties.

• Improving irrigation efficiency and rainwater harvesting where feasible.

• Strengthening grain storage and reducing post-harvest losses.

• Monitoring food prices and identifying communities at risk of food insecurity.

• Supporting farmers and pastoralists before climate shocks undermine their livelihoods.

Food security should not be treated as a concern that begins after a drought or flood. Preparedness must start before the impacts become visible.

Water Resources, Public Health, and Energy

The implications of El Niño extend well beyond agriculture.

Water resources

Where rainfall declines, reservoirs, rivers, and groundwater systems may experience additional pressure. Water shortages can affect households, agriculture, industry, and ecosystems.

Where heavy rainfall occurs, flooding can overwhelm drainage systems and contaminate drinking-water sources.

Water authorities should therefore assess both drought preparedness and flood resilience rather than focusing exclusively on one risk.

Public health

Temperature and rainfall changes can influence human health through several pathways.

Extreme heat can cause dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heatstroke. Flooding may disrupt sanitation systems and contaminate water supplies. Changes in rainfall, temperature, and humidity can also affect the environmental suitability for mosquitoes and other disease vectors.

The actual health consequences depend on local conditions, existing disease burdens, public infrastructure, and access to healthcare.

Public health agencies should strengthen heat-health communication, maintain disease surveillance, protect water quality, and ensure that vulnerable populations can access appropriate services.

Energy systems

Electricity demand may rise during periods of intense heat as households and businesses increase cooling.

At the same time, drought can reduce water availability for hydropower in regions where electricity generation depends on reservoir levels and river flows.

Heavy rainfall and flooding can also damage electricity infrastructure and interrupt power distribution.

These risks highlight the importance of diversified energy systems, resilient infrastructure, efficient cooling, and climate-informed energy planning.

The underlying lesson is that climate resilience cannot be achieved by treating agriculture, water, health, and energy as unrelated policy areas.

What Should Governments and Communities Do Now?

The development of an exceptionally strong El Niño presents an opportunity to demonstrate the value of anticipatory action.

Waiting for a climate disaster to occur is often more expensive than preparing for plausible risks in advance.

Governments, institutions, businesses, and communities can take several practical steps.

1. Strengthen early-warning systems.

Meteorological agencies should continue to communicate seasonal forecasts and update them as new observations become available. Forecasts must be translated into clear, accessible advice for farmers, health workers, businesses, and the public.

2. Prepare for both drought and flooding.

El Niño does not produce identical impacts everywhere. Preparedness plans should reflect local vulnerabilities and consider multiple possible outcomes.

3. Protect food and water supplies.

Agricultural extension services, water authorities, and emergency management agencies should coordinate their planning to reduce the effects of rainfall variability.

4. Strengthen public health preparedness.

Health systems should anticipate periods of extreme heat, possible water contamination, and changes in environmental conditions that influence disease risks.

5. Improve climate communication.

Public information should explain what is known, what remains uncertain, and which actions people can take. Sensational headlines may attract attention, but clear, evidence-based communication helps communities make better decisions.

6. Invest in long-term resilience.

Climate-resilient agriculture, ecosystem restoration, improved drainage, reliable water infrastructure, and diversified energy systems can reduce vulnerability to a range of climate hazards, including those associated with El Niño.

7. Prioritise vulnerable populations.

Low-income households, smallholder farmers, outdoor workers, displaced communities, and people with limited access to essential services may have fewer resources to cope with climate shocks. Preparedness plans must account for these inequalities.

Early warning is important, but early action is what turns information into protection.

The Role of Sustainability Institutions

The emerging El Niño offers an important reminder that sustainability is not simply about protecting the natural environment. It is also about building societies capable of anticipating risks, protecting livelihoods, and responding effectively to change.

Research institutions can help interpret climate data and identify regional vulnerabilities. Universities can prepare students to understand climate systems and develop practical adaptation strategies. Civil society organisations can communicate scientific information and support community preparedness. Governments can incorporate climate information into agricultural planning, infrastructure development, public health, and emergency management.

Sustainability organisations also have a role in connecting scientific knowledge with public action.

At The Green Institute, this challenge aligns with the need to connect environmental science, education, energy, equity, and economics. These dimensions cannot be separated when examining the consequences of climate variability.

For example, a drought is not only a meteorological event. It can become an agricultural crisis, a public health concern, an economic shock, and a question of social equity.

Likewise, a flood is not simply an excess of water. Its consequences depend on land use, drainage infrastructure, housing quality, public information, and the resources available to affected communities.

A comprehensive sustainability response must therefore combine scientific understanding with education, institutional cooperation, and practical solutions.

Looking Beyond the Headlines

The phrase Super El Niño may dominate public discussion, but the most useful response is to look beyond the label.

The scientific evidence indicates that the 2026–2027 El Niño is exceptionally strong and could become one of the most intense events in the historical record. Its development warrants attention because of its potential influence on global temperatures and regional rainfall patterns.

However, a strong El Niño does not mean that every region will experience the same disaster. The risks will depend on geographical location, seasonal conditions, other climate drivers, and the ability of communities and institutions to prepare.

For Africa, the priority is to improve the use of climate information in agriculture, water management, health protection, infrastructure planning, and disaster preparedness.

For Nigeria, this means monitoring authoritative forecasts, strengthening communication between scientific institutions and decision-makers, and ensuring that climate information reaches the people who need it.

For the international community, the event is another reminder that climate resilience requires sustained investment, cooperation, and preparedness.

We cannot control the Pacific Ocean's natural climate cycles. We can, however, improve how we understand their consequences and how we respond to them.

The defining question is not simply whether the world will experience a Super El Niño. It is whether we will use the available scientific knowledge to protect people, strengthen institutions, and build more resilient societies.

The time to prepare is before the impacts arrive.

References and Further Reading

1. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (2026). El Niño: Acting early to protect food and livelihoods. https://www.fao.org/el-nino/en

2. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Climate Prediction Center. (2026, October 8). ENSO diagnostic discussion. https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/enso_advisory/ensodisc.shtml

3. International Research Institute for Climate and Society. (2026, October 19). ENSO forecasts: October 2026 quick look. https://iri.columbia.edu/our-expertise/climate/forecasts/enso/current/

4. World Health Organization. (2023, November 9). El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO). https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/el-nino-southern-oscillation-%28enso%29

5. World Meteorological Organization. (2026). El Niño and La Niña phenomena. https://wmo.int/themes/el-nino-la-nina-phenomena

6. World Meteorological Organization. (2026, July 31). Strong El Niño expected to intensify. https://wmo.int/news/media-centre/strong-el-nino-expected-intensify

This article is intended for public education. Seasonal forecasts are probabilistic and should be interpreted alongside current national and regional meteorological advisories.

Building Resilient Cities for a Sustainable Future: Lessons from the 7th World Environment Day Symposium

The Green Institute

On June 5, 2026, World Environment Day, The Green Institute brought together researchers, planners, engineers and sustainability leaders from around the world to examine one of the defining challenges of our time: how rapidly growing cities can become more resilient, inclusive and sustainable in the face of climate change.

““How do we build cities that protect people, restore nature, and prepare us for the future?””

— Dr. Adenike Akinsemolu, host and founder, The Green Institute

Cities are places of possibility. They hold our schools, hospitals, businesses, innovations and communities. Yet as they grow, they are also becoming increasingly exposed to flooding, extreme heat, pollution, ecological degradation, displacement and the consequences of poor planning.

That tension sat at the heart of the 7th World Environment Day Symposium, convened by The Green Institute on June 4–5, 2026 under the theme “Urbanization and Climate Change: Building Resilient Cities for a Sustainable Future.” The hybrid event brought together researchers, planners, engineers, policy thinkers and sustainability leaders to explore practical pathways toward climate-resilient urban futures.

From ambition to measurable action

Professor Patrick Paul Walsh, Vice President of Education and Director of the SDG Academy at the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, opened the discussion with a challenge that ran through the entire symposium: resilient-city ambition must be matched by measurement, evidence and accountability.

For Walsh, the post-2030 development conversation will require cities to show progress through indicators that can connect local action with national and global reporting. Green spaces, infrastructure upgrades and social programmes matter, but cities also need comparable data that demonstrates whether those interventions are improving wellbeing and reducing vulnerability.

Jacqueline Bleicher’s presentation translated that concern into the scale of the neighbourhood. Her climate-resilient sustainable urbanism framework treats neighbourhoods as practical units of transformation and proposes measurable targets for ecological reserves, urban greening, walkability, accessibility, mixed-use development, resilient buildings, and food, water and energy self-sufficiency. The combined message was clear: urban resilience must be designed so that success can be evaluated, not merely declared.

Resilience and sustainable development must advance together

Professor Ayyoob Sharifi examined the relationship between urban resilience and the Sustainable Development Goals, emphasizing that the two are interdependent. Resilience is more than the ability to bounce back after a disaster; it is a long-term framework for sustaining urban systems through shocks and change.

He also cautioned against approaches that protect infrastructure while overlooking poverty, hunger, inequality and weak institutions. Nature-based solutions can generate multiple co-benefits — from stormwater management and urban cooling to biodiversity and food security — but poorly designed interventions can also create land conflicts, displacement and new inequalities.

The implication is straightforward: a city cannot be called resilient if its climate gains are achieved at the expense of the people who are already most vulnerable.

Nature must be treated as urban infrastructure

Several speakers challenged the tendency to treat nature as decoration rather than essential infrastructure. Professor Alex Opoku argued that cities cannot decarbonize effectively without integrating biodiversity and nature-based solutions into urban development. Urban farms, green roofs, wetlands, permeable surfaces and community parks can absorb carbon, reduce heat, manage stormwater and strengthen food resilience.

Dr. Michael Osei Asibey extended this argument through the “green-blue city” paradigm. His presentation contrasted conventional planning — dominated by concrete, impermeable surfaces and fragmented governance — with a greener model built around urban forests, restored wetlands, green corridors, permeable surfaces, urban agriculture and participatory decision-making.

But the distribution of these benefits matters. Asibey highlighted what he called a justice gap: wealthier neighbourhoods often receive trees, parks and climate amenities first, even where vulnerability is greater elsewhere. His argument was that green investment should be targeted where risk is highest, not where political influence is strongest.

The Global South needs locally grounded urban transitions

The symposium repeatedly returned to the need for urban solutions that reflect local realities rather than imported templates. Professor Rexford Assasie Oppong used Duampompo in Ghana as a case study of peri-urban expansion at the rural-urban edge. Agricultural and ecological land is being converted into residential plots while waste systems, drainage and other municipal services struggle to keep pace.

His presentation showed how the loss of green infrastructure can undermine local food security, increase urban heat and intensify flood risk. He proposed locally grounded responses including transit-oriented development, partnerships with traditional leaders to protect greenbelts and farmland, and decentralized approaches to solar energy, waste management and drainage.

Professor Sylvester Mpandeli reached a related conclusion through the water-energy-food nexus. Sustainable urban development, he argued, requires a shift away from siloed planning toward coordination across sectors, institutions and scales. Physical infrastructure matters, but governance, community engagement, behavioural change and local knowledge often determine whether an intervention lasts.

Human-driven vulnerabilities are also a public-health challenge

Professor Emmanuel I. Ofoezie added an environmental-health perspective by examining human-driven urban vulnerabilities. His presentation linked deforestation, habitat loss, land degradation, urban sprawl, wetland encroachment, pollution and poor waste management to cities’ declining capacity to absorb and recover from climate shocks.

His mitigation priorities included afforestation and reforestation, protection of urban forests and wetlands, stronger environmental impact assessments, green infrastructure, pollution control, integrated waste management and more sustainable industrial practices. The broader lesson was that climate resilience cannot be separated from environmental quality and public health: degraded water, air, soil and ecosystems translate directly into greater urban vulnerability.

Governance is the connective tissue of resilience

Professor Susan Parnell argued that urban climate mitigation and adaptation efforts are still not keeping pace with real-world challenges, despite major advances in climate science, co-production and transdisciplinary research. Institutional barriers continue to limit innovation and the uptake of knowledge.

Her response was to put governance at the centre of urban climate action — linking design, finance, data, analytics, capacity building, partnerships and participation across multiple scales. Cities should be understood as complex “systems of systems,” not as collections of isolated projects.

Dr. Mattia Federico Leone offered a practical example of this integration through the Urban Design Climate Workshop approach. Work in Naples has combined stakeholder engagement and community co-design with collaborative mapping, scenario modelling and climate analysis of heat, flooding, energy consumption and renewable-energy potential. It demonstrates what becomes possible when climate knowledge is produced with cities and communities, rather than simply delivered to them.

Circular systems and responsible technology

Professor Anh Phan brought a circular-engineering perspective to the symposium, showing how waste streams can be transformed into materials, chemicals and energy rather than treated only as disposal problems. Her presentation also explored wastewater as a source of safe water, biogas and other recoverable resources.

The symposium’s paper presentations widened the conversation to digital infrastructure. Dr. Eugenio Ferrer Santiago III examined the environmental paradox of using artificial intelligence to make cities smarter while the data centres that power AI consume substantial electricity, water, land and infrastructure capacity. He proposed planning tools such as dedicated data-centre zoning, environmental disclosure, renewable-energy requirements and community benefit agreements.

A poster presentation by Khadijat A. Sulaimon and Prof. L. O. Odokuma brought the conversation back to urban water security. Their groundwater-quality assessment around petrol stations near the University of Port Harcourt identified evidence consistent with underground storage-tank leakage and highlighted the public-health implications of petroleum hydrocarbons and heavy-metal contamination. Their recommendations included continuous groundwater monitoring, stronger storage-tank standards and institutional collaboration.

Justice must remain at the centre

Dr. Jola Ajibade placed climate justice at the centre of the resilience debate. She described a century increasingly defined not by single disasters but by cascading risks: floods, heat waves, wildfires, droughts, infrastructure failure, migration pressures, conflict and economic shocks that interact and reinforce one another.

Her central question was not simply how cities adapt, but how they do so without creating new forms of harm. Adaptation projects can displace residents, reproduce inequality or shift risk from one population to another. Just resilience, therefore, must protect dignity, strengthen collective wellbeing and transform the systems that make some communities vulnerable in the first place.

That means residents — particularly people in informal settlements, coastal communities, women and young people — should not be treated only as beneficiaries or sources of data. Their knowledge should shape the design, implementation and evaluation of climate solutions.

Design for the hardest days, not only the ordinary ones

Dr. Yamini Meduri offered a practical test for resilience: can a city anticipate risk, absorb shocks, adapt, recover and learn? Her presentation emphasized that disasters expose the weakest connections between people, nature, governance, infrastructure and technology.

Resilience therefore needs to be embedded in master plans, zoning, infrastructure investment and urban policy before disruption occurs. Developers must design for future risks rather than historical patterns; technology should strengthen human systems; communities should participate in preparedness, not only recovery; and businesses must plan for continuity and shared responsibility.

A city may look successful on an ordinary day. The real test is how well it protects people when conditions are at their hardest.

A shared agenda for the cities ahead

By the end of the symposium, very different disciplines had converged around a remarkably consistent message: resilient cities must be measurable, inclusive, just, nature-positive, well-governed and rooted in the lived realities of the people who call them home.

They will require green and blue infrastructure, but also strong institutions. They will need sophisticated data, but also community knowledge. They will need new technologies, but also careful attention to their environmental footprint. And they will require investment not only in buildings and infrastructure, but in social cohesion, equity and institutional capacity.

The Green Institute closed the symposium with a call to move from knowledge to action — translating research into better planning, stronger policy, healthier neighbourhoods, accessible green spaces and safer futures for all. The future of sustainability will be shaped in our cities. The work of making those cities resilient must begin with the people who call them home.

Watch the Sessions and Access the Presentations

To watch the speakers' sessions and access the presentation slides, visit https://greeninstitute.ng/wed2026.

Officially Green Fellowship Mentorship Session: Communicating Sustainability Research with Dr. Mikki McComb-Kobza

On May 15, 2026, the Officially Green Fellowship Program hosted a mentorship session with Dr. Mikki McComb-Kobza, CEO of Ocean First Institute, on the theme “Communicating Sustainability Research.”

Drawing from her extensive work in marine conservation and shark research, Dr. McComb-Kobza shared how scientific research can become more meaningful when researchers communicate their findings in ways that connect with the public. Through examples from her fieldwork with sharks and rays across different parts of the world, she demonstrated how research, education, and storytelling can work together to advance conservation.

A major focus of the discussion was the importance of storytelling in science communication. Dr. McComb-Kobza explained that scientists are often trained to conduct research but may receive little training in communicating with non-scientific audiences. She encouraged researchers to make their work understandable, relatable, and personal, noting that people are more likely to act when they develop a meaningful connection with an environmental issue.

The session also highlighted collaboration and finding common ground as essential skills for sustainability researchers. Dr. McComb-Kobza encouraged Fellows to listen to different stakeholders, understand competing interests, and work toward shared solutions rather than approaching conservation challenges from rigid positions.

For emerging researchers, her message centered on persistence, openness, collaboration, and purpose. She encouraged Fellows not to become discouraged, emphasizing that conservation and sustainability research remains critical to protecting life and ecosystems.

The mentorship session reinforced the importance of moving sustainability research beyond scientific spaces by using clear communication, compelling stories, and collaborative approaches to inspire understanding and action.

Community at the Centre: Energy Justice, Resilience and Innovation at Energies 3.0

THE GREEN INSTITUTE

What does a truly just energy transition look like when viewed from the communities that must live with its consequences?

That question was at the heart of Energies 3.0, The Green Institute’s flagship energy conference held from April 22–24, 2026, alongside the Advanced Certificate in Energy Transition and Sustainability for Oil, Gas, and Allied Sector Professionals.

Across three days of hybrid engagement, researchers, policymakers, legal experts, energy practitioners, industry leaders and emerging voices examined the future of energy through a distinctly Global South lens. Rather than treating decarbonisation as a purely technological exercise, Energies 3.0 placed access, justice, participation, resilience, local ownership and human dignity at the centre of the conversation.

The urgency of this perspective was captured in the opening remarks by Dr. Adenike Akinsemolu, Founder and Global Director of The Green Institute. Recalling a visit to a community with highly unreliable electricity, she shared the words of a young girl: “We don't plan our lives around time, we plan our lives around light.” For Akinsemolu, the encounter was a reminder that energy is ultimately about far more than infrastructure: it determines people’s ability to exercise control over their lives and futures.

That human-centred framing set the direction for a conference committed to asking not only how much renewable energy can be deployed, but who decides, who participates, who benefits, who carries the risks, and who may still be excluded.

Rethinking Africa’s “energy transition”

The keynote address by Prof. Youba Sokona, former Vice Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), challenged conventional assumptions about what an African energy transition should mean.

Sokona argued that Africa’s most fundamental transition remains the movement away from traditional biomass, fuelwood and charcoal towards adequate, reliable and affordable modern energy services. He positioned the challenge at the intersection of energy, climate and development, stressing that African pathways must first deliver livelihoods, equity, economic transformation and climate resilience.

Importantly, he rejected a one-size-fits-all approach. African countries enter the transition from vastly different levels of electricity access, institutional strength, renewable resources, financing costs and development priorities. Consequently, individual countries—and even communities within them—need solutions grounded in their own circumstances.

The implication was clear: the Global South should not simply inherit transition pathways conceived elsewhere. Energy futures must be development-led, context-specific and capable of reflecting local priorities.

Watch Prof. Youba Sokona’s keynote address | Read the press release

Decentralisation as a strategy, not an afterthought

One of the strongest practical illustrations came from Dr. Abba Aliyu, Managing Director/CEO of Nigeria’s Rural Electrification Agency.

Aliyu reframed Africa’s electricity challenge as not simply an absence of energy resources, but a delivery problem: how can reliable power reach people quickly, affordably and sustainably? His answer placed decentralised systems—including solar home systems, mini-grids and interconnected mini-grids—at the centre of the strategy rather than at its margins.

He discussed Nigeria’s use of public finance to catalyse significantly larger pools of private investment, alongside efforts to strengthen renewable-energy companies, local financing, domestic manufacturing and skills development. For Aliyu, decentralisation is increasingly becoming a mechanism through which energy access, industrial development and local capacity can advance together.

Watch Dr. Abba Aliyu’s session | Read the press release

Building institutions that can sustain decentralised energy

Technology alone, however, cannot create resilient electricity markets.

Wolemi Esan, SAN, Deputy Managing Partner at Olaniwun Ajayi LP, examined the legal and institutional dimensions of decentralisation in Nigeria. His presentation explored opportunities arising from decentralised markets—including locally tailored energy solutions, more responsive tariff structures, streamlined licensing, community-owned mini-grids and improved resilience—while positioning energy justice as an important objective of reform.

The deeper message was that sustainable decentralisation depends on regulatory sequencing, institutional coordination, durable legal frameworks and mechanisms capable of addressing commercial disruptions—not merely new technologies.

Watch Wolemi Esan, SAN | Download the presentation

Energy democracy: access is not enough

Several Energies 3.0 speakers pushed the conversation beyond physical electricity connections towards agency and participation.

Dr. Xavier Lemaire of UCL Institute for Sustainable Resources asked whether energy democracy can actually achieve energy justice. His presentation cautioned that renewable energy deployment can still reproduce inequality through high upfront costs, unequal land impacts, concentrated capital ownership, unaffordable tariffs and differences in households’ ability to turn electricity access into socioeconomic benefit.

He therefore highlighted citizen assemblies, community energy structures and meaningful participation as mechanisms for connecting national policy choices with local decision-making.

Similarly, Dr. Aritra Chakrabarty of the University of Exeter stressed that “local” does not automatically mean equitable. Community energy can remain embedded in inequalities of gender, class and ethnicity, with uneven access, participation and distribution of benefits. His contribution shifted the discussion from energy access to energy agency—asking who controls systems, who participates in decisions and who ultimately benefits.

Watch Dr. Xavier Lemaire | Download his presentation

Watch Dr. Aritra Chakrabarty | Download his presentation

From “social licence” to genuine community power

Dr. Grant Gutierrez, Head of Community Impacts at Carbon Direct, extended this discussion into project governance.

His presentation, From Social License to Social Contract, argued for moving beyond community engagement models in which populations are merely informed or consulted after important decisions have effectively been made.

Gutierrez proposed three principles with wider relevance to energy development: establish accountable governance before allocating money; define beneficiaries according to the real social and economic territory affected by a project rather than only its legal footprint; and create long-term, revenue-linked benefits that endure throughout a project’s lifecycle rather than ending after permitting or construction.

This represents a significant shift in thinking: communities should not simply receive compensation for hosting energy infrastructure. They should have a meaningful role in governance, benefit allocation and long-term value creation.

Climate intelligence is energy infrastructure too

Resilience also depends on understanding a changing climate.

Prof. Alberto Troccoli, Co-founder and CEO of Inside Climate Service and the World Energy & Meteorology Council, explored how climate and weather affect global energy systems.

His central message was that climate variability is already reshaping energy planning. Changes in temperature, wind, solar and hydropower conditions mean that climate information must increasingly inform investment and operations. Better observations, seasonal forecasts and region-specific planning tools can strengthen grid resilience, operational readiness and risk-informed investment—particularly across regions with rapidly growing electricity demand.

Watch Prof. Alberto Troccoli | Read the press release

Financing a just transition—and financing the right transition

The availability of finance emerged repeatedly as both an opportunity and a constraint.

Litu Sethi, Ph.D. Research Scholar at the National Institute of Technology Rourkela, examined community-led energy transitions through the energy trilemma of security, equity and environmental sustainability.

His research found that energy investment and stronger financial systems can improve energy security and equity in developing countries by expanding access and enabling infrastructure investment. Yet the findings also issued a warning: financial expansion does not automatically improve environmental sustainability when investment continues to flow towards carbon-intensive technologies.

The financing challenge, therefore, is not simply to mobilise more capital. It is to direct capital towards solutions that improve access, affordability, resilience and decarbonisation simultaneously.

Watch Litu Sethi’s session | Download the presentation

Innovation from waste, law, youth and communities

Energies 3.0 deliberately expanded the meaning of energy innovation beyond solar panels and electricity grids.

Darlington Ekechukwu explored energy recovery from waste in Nigeria, presenting waste-to-energy as a pathway for converting non-recyclable materials into electricity, heat and recoverable resources while supporting circular-economy objectives, reducing landfill dependence and potentially improving energy security.

Dr. Eghosa O. Ekhator, Associate Professor of Law at the University of Derby, examined corporate accountability and the potential of climate litigation in Nigeria. His session considered the evolving legal basis for climate action, including opportunities and limitations within Nigeria’s Climate Change Act and debates over access to justice for communities and individuals affected by climate harm.

And Adesuyan Omojadesola brought an important youth perspective through Youth Action for Community Clean Energy. Her presentation connected clean energy to health, economic development and environmental protection while emphasizing young people’s capacity to influence household behaviour, spread new ideas and lead community change. Watch the session | Download the presentation

These contributions reinforced one of the conference’s defining principles: innovation must be understood as technical, social, legal, financial and institutional.

A transition measured by dignity

By the close of Energies 3.0, one idea connected discussions spanning law, finance, climate science, electricity regulation, gender, youth participation, community governance and renewable technology: a transition cannot be considered successful merely because it is cleaner.

It must also be fair.

It must expand meaningful access. It must strengthen rather than weaken communities. It must recognise different local realities. It must allow people affected by energy decisions to participate in making those decisions. And it must create durable opportunities for livelihoods, ownership and resilience.

The closing reflections captured that collective direction: energy should be understood not simply as infrastructure, but as a foundation for justice, resilience and human dignity, while Global South transitions must remain inclusive, context-specific and community-led.

That is the challenge Energies 3.0 leaves with policymakers, investors, researchers, companies and communities: not simply to build a low-carbon energy future, but to decide together what kind of future that energy should make possible.

Continue the Energies conversation

Sessions from Energies 3.0 are available to revisit online. Watch the conference sessions and explore the individual presentations, press releases and recordings from speakers across the programme.

The Advanced Certificate in Energy Transition and Sustainability for Oil, Gas, and Allied Sector Professionals, presented alongside Energies 3.0, further extends this conversation into professional learning and capacity building—supporting the knowledge and skills needed to navigate an energy system undergoing profound technological, regulatory and social change.

Energies 3.0 demonstrated that the future of energy in the Global South will not be determined by technology alone. It will be determined by whose knowledge counts, whose voices shape decisions, where capital flows, how institutions respond—and whether communities themselves have the power to lead.

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From Coal to Clean: A Fellow’s Perspective on India’s Energy Transition

Ashraf Rehman
GREEN FELLOW

As part of our commitment to amplifying impactful research and policy conversations, The Green Institute is pleased to feature this insightful article by our fellow, Ashraf Rehman. He is a Green Fellow with interests in energy policy, sustainability, and development transitions.

In this piece, Ashraf explores the complex pathway of transitioning from coal dependence to cleaner energy systems in a developing economy like India. The article highlights the delicate balance between economic growth, energy security, and environmental sustainability, an issue that resonates strongly across the Global South.

By examining the challenges of infrastructure, employment, and policy frameworks, this work contributes meaningfully to ongoing discussions on achieving a just and inclusive energy transition.

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Originally published by Asian Confluence

India aims to reach net zero carbon emission by 2070 and generate 50 percent of its power from non-fossil fuels sources by 2030. These goals look impressive, but there are significant challenges in India’s energy transition. However, if managed well, India could become a global leader in clean energy.    

Energy transition is not a recent phenomenon. In the past, civilizations have experienced various energy transitions. The transition from wood to coal during the Industrial Revolution represents one such energy transition, then the progression from coal to oil and gas in the 20th century.

The world is undergoing yet another energy transition, fuelled by worries about climate change, the need for energy security, and in the pursuit of cleaner, more sustainable energy alternatives. This transition is intricate, involving changes across technological, economic, social, and political realms.

In the 2015 Paris Agreement, countries around the world acknowledged the need to limit the increase in global temperatures to well below 2°C, and preferably to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. To achieve the goal of reduced global warming, substantial cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, including CO2, will be necessary within a defined timeframe.

By balancing the quantity of greenhouse gases emitted with the amount removed from the atmosphere, it will significantly aid in mitigating the harmful emissions that lead to global warming. The Glasgow Climate Pact established at the COP26 conference in 2021 agreed to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, vital for maintaining temperature increase to 1.5°C, and all participating countries committed to strive for this target.

The energy transition is designed to accomplish multiple objectives. It intends to decrease greenhouse gas emissions to lessen the effects of climate change and aims to stimulate economic growth and create jobs through the innovation and implementation of new, clean energy technologies.

Although energy transition is a worldwide trend, its speed and characteristics differ across countries, influenced by factors such as resource availability, economic circumstances, and policy priorities. Additionally, energy transition is a key element for enhancing energy security. 

Relying on fossil fuels, particularly those imported from other countries, make nations vulnerable to fluctuating prices and supply interruptions. By diversifying their energy sources and boosting the share of homegrown renewable energy, countries can improve their energy stability. The renewable energy industry is among the fastest-growing sectors globally, providing numerous job opportunities in manufacturing, installation, and maintenance.

India’s energy transition is grid around three key pillars. First, India’s electricity consumption is one of the prime reasons for the emission of carbon. Therefore, as part of decarbonisation efforts, the country aims to increase its renewable energy capacity with a special focus on solar energy. 

Second, the industrial sector is a major emitter of carbon in India. Rapid growth in the industrial sector has increased the use of fossil fuels to generate energy and consumption of electricity for industrial use in various sectors. Hence, industrial decarbonisation is another area that requires attention.

Third, it is also necessary to create an environment for the transition of transportation from high carbon emission to solar/electric vehicles. Schemes such as Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT) aims to increase the use of biofuels with a target of achieving 20 percent ethanol blending petrol by 2030.  

India’s energy transition goals are achievable, but not without challenges. Reports suggest that India would require around USD 10 trillion dollars by 2070 to achieve its energy transition goals. This huge demand for funding makes financing an important constraint for energy transition in India. In addition, lack of coordination or collaboration among key stakeholders, government, public and various organizations, creates poor communication to achieve a holistic goal for energy transition. 

Furthermore, technological development and advancement is necessary, such as green hydrogen and carbon capacity utilization storage (CCUS) for decarbonising heavy industries. However, lack of proper infrastructure, policy formation and financial limitations are some challenges to technological advancement for energy transition.   

India’s energy transition presents a delicate balancing act between sustaining rapid economic growth and ensuring environmental responsibility. The country’s developmental needs—rising energy demand, industrial expansion, and improving living standards cannot be compromised. At the same time, the urgency of addressing climate change, in line with global commitments such as the Paris Agreement and the Glasgow Climate Pact, necessitates a decisive shift toward cleaner energy systems.

Despite significant challenges ranging from financial constraints and technological gaps to institutional coordination and heavy reliance on coal—India has demonstrated strong intent through ambitious targets and policy initiatives. Efforts in renewable energy expansion, green hydrogen development, and cleaner transportation signal a structural transformation already underway.

India’s success will depend on its ability to integrate policy coherence, attract sustained investment, foster innovation, and ensure inclusive participation across sectors. A pragmatic, phased transition rather than an abrupt shift will be essential to safeguard energy security while reducing emissions. If managed effectively, India’s energy transition can become a pathway to sustainability and a driver of long-term economic resilience and global leadership in clean energy.

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Editor’s Note: The issues discussed in this article are highly relevant to energy transition efforts in Nigeria and across Africa, where similar challenges of balancing energy access, economic growth, and sustainability persist.

The Green Institute remains committed to amplifying research and ideas that advance sustainable development and climate policy discourse.

Raising Young Environmental Stewards in Nigeria

Exploring the Nigeria–Cameroon Highlands Through Birdwatching and Field Learning

Across open landscapes and highland terrain, 20 selected Young Rangers moved through nature with purpose, observing birds, studying vegetation, and learning directly from the environment around them. Guided by experts, they engaged with the Nigeria–Cameroon Highlands not as a distant concept, but as a living system.

Implemented by The Green Institute from 23 to 25 March 2026 in collaboration with the National Geographic Society through the Meridian Grant , the Young Rangers Programme was built on a simple idea. Young people understand nature best when they experience it directly.

From the outset, the programme connected global perspective with local reality. Through the National Geographic Explorer Mindset, participants were encouraged to approach the natural world with curiosity, empathy, and critical thinking. But this was not abstract learning. It was grounded in one of Africa’s most important biodiversity regions, the Nigeria–Cameroon Highlands.

Stretching across southeastern Nigeria into western Cameroon, the highlands are home to montane forests, grasslands, rivers, and countless plant and animal species, many found nowhere else on Earth. At the same time, they face growing pressure from deforestation, agricultural expansion, poaching, and climate change. For the Young Rangers, this was not just information to remember. It was a landscape to explore, question, and understand.

Birdwatching became the entry point into that understanding. Rather than treating it as a leisure activity, the programme used it as a practical way to study ecosystems. Participants learned how to observe birds closely, paying attention to colour, movement, behaviour, and habitat. In doing so, they began to recognise patterns and relationships within the environment. A bird in flight, a nest in a tree, or movement near water became clues to how ecosystems function.

As the programme unfolded, learning moved from guided discussion to deeper engagement. Participants explored the diversity of flora and fauna in the highlands and examined the environmental challenges affecting the region. Conversations around deforestation and climate change were not distant or theoretical. They were directly linked to the landscapes the participants were studying.

By the third day, the experience shifted fully into the field. At Nibanola Resort, the Young Rangers stepped into the environment they had been learning about. They observed birds in their natural habitats, studied vegetation patterns, and moved across the terrain, experiencing firsthand the variation within the highland ecosystem. The physical experience of walking the landscape, observing details, and working in teams reinforced lessons that could not be fully captured in a classroom.

This combination of observation, movement, and reflection helped transform understanding into something more personal. Participants were not only learning about biodiversity. They were developing the ability to notice, interpret, and value it.

The impact of the programme was visible in how participants began to see themselves. They developed a stronger understanding of the ecological importance of the Nigeria–Cameroon Highlands and gained practical skills in observation and environmental interpretation. More importantly, they began to see themselves as individuals who could contribute to protecting the natural world.

What makes this approach effective is its simplicity. By focusing on birdwatching and direct engagement with nature, the programme makes conservation tangible. It shifts learning from abstract concepts to lived experience. At the same time, the collaboration with the National Geographic Society connects this local experience to a broader global context, showing participants that their environment is part of a much larger story.

The Young Rangers Programme demonstrates that when young people are given the opportunity to explore, observe, and engage with nature, they develop not only knowledge, but also responsibility. In a time when environmental challenges continue to grow, this kind of experience is essential in shaping a generation that is both aware and ready to act.

Officially Green Fellowship Mentorship Session: Translating Research into Policy and Advocacy with Prof. Patrick P. Walsh

On March 20, 2026, the Officially Green Fellowship Program hosted a mentorship session with Prof. Patrick P. Walsh, Vice President of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and Director of the SDG Academy. The session focused on “Translating Research into Policy and Advocacy.”

Prof. Walsh explored the persistent gap between academic research and real-world decision-making, noting that valuable research often remains within journals instead of influencing governments, businesses, and communities. He encouraged researchers to go beyond publication by actively engaging policymakers, institutions, and other stakeholders.

Drawing from his own experience, he explained how research can contribute to legislative change when academics work closely with government officials and remain involved throughout the policy process. He emphasized that meaningful impact may take years and requires persistence, partnerships, and a willingness to communicate research in ways decision-makers can use.

The discussion also highlighted the importance of open science, open data, and open educational resources in making knowledge more accessible. Prof. Walsh stressed that removing barriers to knowledge and building partnerships across government, academia, civil society, and communities can strengthen progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals.

For young professionals and Green Fellows, his message was clear: build strong networks, know what you want to contribute, seek out experienced partners, and keep pursuing opportunities despite rejection.

The session reinforced the value of moving research beyond academic spaces and turning evidence into policy, partnerships, and practical action for sustainable development.

Officially Green Fellows Mentorship Session: Educating for Climate Action with Odunayo Aliu

On March 12, 2026, the Officially Green Fellowship Program hosted a mentorship session with Odunayo Aliu, Founder of Bramble Network, on the theme “Educating for Climate Action.”

Drawing from her experience in education and community development, Aliu encouraged Green Fellows to see themselves as transformational leaders capable of creating change regardless of age, position, or location. She emphasized self-awareness, proactiveness, humility, purpose, and the ability to engage others as important qualities for young changemakers.

A major focus of the session was moving from awareness to action. Fellows were encouraged to identify climate and environmental challenges as they are experienced within their own communities, listen to community members to understand root causes, and begin with small, practical solutions that can be tested and improved over time.

Aliu also stressed the importance of community ownership and collaboration. Whether addressing waste management, flooding, tree loss, education, or other sustainability challenges, solutions are more likely to succeed when communities are actively involved and when young leaders work with local stakeholders, organizations, and government institutions.

The interactive discussion also addressed persistence in changemaking. Fellows were reminded that meaningful transformation takes time and requires patience, a strong sense of purpose, supportive networks, and consistent action.

The session reinforced a central message: effective climate leadership goes beyond awareness—it requires sustained action that improves people’s lives while protecting the environment.

GREEN FELLOW SPOTLIGHT: Abigail Ngunan Anyorikyo Promotes Sustainable Transport in Benue State

Green Fellow Abigail Ngunan Anyorikyo recently led members of the Green Kids Club on an educational visit to the Benue Investment and Property Company, BIPC, to deepen students’ understanding of sustainable transport systems.

The engagement provided pupils and students with direct exposure to the concept of green transport and its role in environmental sustainability. BIPC, under the Government of Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, demonstrated its commitment to sustainable development by supporting the educational visit.

A central focus of the discussion was the role of electric vehicles in promoting cleaner air and reducing environmental impact. Electric cars produce zero tailpipe emissions, significantly lowering greenhouse gas emissions and urban air pollution. Their adoption contributes to reduced dependence on fossil fuels, supports climate change mitigation efforts, and advances the development of healthier communities.

Abigail commended the leadership of Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia for continued investment in Benue State’s green economy. She also acknowledged the founder of The Green Institute, Dr. Adenike Akinsemolu for creating a platform that nurtures environmentally conscious pupils and students.

The Green Kids Club members who participated in the visit represented the following schools:

• Unique Nursery and Primary School

• St Paul’s College Ahule

• Flourish Apex Academy

• Aggo College Makurdi

The visit was described as engaging and well received by the students, reinforcing the importance of experiential learning in sustainability education.

Through initiatives such as this, young learners are being equipped with the knowledge and awareness needed to support environmentally responsible choices and contribute to sustainable development within their communities.

#OfficiallyGreen
Pledge 5: I Will Travel Sustainably
#GreenInstitute #EcoFriendly #GreenTransport #Sustainability #BenueState

The Green Institute 2026 Founder's Message

Our mission at The Green Institute remains clear: we are building the next generation of sustainability leaders through education, advocacy, and innovation.

Watch the Founder’s Message below as we reaffirm our purpose, our priorities for 2026, and why Africa must not only participate in global sustainability efforts — Africa must lead.

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FULL TRANSCRIPT

Good day.

As we enter 2026, I want to be very clear about why The Green Institute exists, what we stand for, and where we are going.

The Green Institute was founded on a simple but urgent conviction:
that sustainability will not be achieved by policies alone, projects alone, or technology alone.
It will be achieved by leaders.

Leaders who understand systems.
Leaders who can connect science to policy.
Leaders who can translate ideas into action.
And leaders who are grounded in ethics, equity, and responsibility.

That is why our mission is clear and unchanged:
to build the next generation of sustainability leaders through education, advocacy, and innovation.

In 2026, the world faces overlapping challenges—climate instability, energy transitions, food insecurity, environmental degradation, and growing social inequalities.
These challenges are global, but their impacts are local.
And nowhere is this more evident than in Africa.

For too long, Africa has been framed as a participant in global sustainability conversations.
At The Green Institute, we reject that framing.

Africa must not only participate.
Africa must lead.

Leadership grounded in knowledge.
Leadership informed by lived realities.
Leadership that shapes global thinking, policy, and practice.

In 2026, The Green Institute is focused on institutional leadership.

This means three things.
First, education.
We are investing in rigorous, forward-looking education that prepares leaders to think critically, act responsibly, and operate across disciplines and sectors.
Our fellowships, courses, and academic programmes are not designed for certificates alone; they are designed for impact.

Second, advocacy.
We believe that advocacy must be intellectual, evidence-based, and policy-relevant.
In 2026, The Green Institute will continue to contribute to national, continental, and global conversations with clarity, credibility, and conviction.

And third, innovation.
Not innovation for visibility, but innovation for systems change.
Solutions that are locally grounded, scalable, and informed by research.

In 2026, every Green Institute programme, convening, publication, and partnership is united under one theme:
Building the Next Generation of Sustainability Leaders.

This is not a slogan.
It is a responsibility.

It means that every course must build capacity.
Every event must strengthen thinking.
Every partnership must add value.
And every output must contribute to long-term change.

As Founder and Global Director, my commitment is to ensure that The Green Institute continues to operate with integrity, intellectual rigour, and strategic focus.

We will not be distracted by trends.
We will not dilute our mission for short-term visibility.
And we will not compromise the credibility of this institution.

Instead, we will continue to build—deliberately, consistently, and collaboratively.

To our fellows, partners, speakers, and collaborators:
you are not participants in a programme;
you are part of an institution.

An institution committed to shaping ideas, developing leaders, and influencing systems for a sustainable future.

As we move through 2026 and beyond, let us be guided by this conviction:

That leadership is built, not assumed.
That sustainability requires depth, not noise.
And that Africa’s contribution to global sustainability must be intellectual, ethical, and transformative.

This is the work of The Green Institute.
This is our focus for 2026.
And this is our commitment to the future.

Thank you.

#OfficiallyGreen

Officially Green Fellows Mentorship Session: Science to Society with Dr. Helen Onyeaka

On December 11, 2025, the Officially Green Fellowship Program hosted a mentorship session with Dr. Helen Onyeaka, Associate Professor at the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom. The virtual session focused on the theme “Science to Society: Communicating Research for Real-World Impact.”

Dr. Onyeaka emphasized that strong research alone is not enough to create meaningful change. Researchers must be able to communicate their findings clearly to policymakers, communities, industry, and other non-specialist audiences. She encouraged Fellows to understand their audience, avoid unnecessary jargon, use relatable examples, and explain why their research matters in everyday life.

The session introduced practical communication approaches, including the “Why–How–What” structure and the “Problem–Journey–Solution” storytelling framework. Fellows were also encouraged to identify the central message they want their audience to remember and build their communication around it.

A key message from the session was the importance of clarity, connection, and credibility. Dr. Onyeaka highlighted that effective science communication can build trust, encourage collaboration, inform better decisions, and help research move beyond academic publications toward real-world impact.

The interactive mentorship session reinforced the Green Fellowship Program’s commitment to equipping emerging leaders and researchers with practical skills for creating positive change in society.

Dr. Adenike Akinsemolu Recognised as Lead Author in the Newly Released UNEP Global Environment Outlook 7

THE GREEN INSTITUTE

The Green Institute is proud to announce that its Founder, Dr. Adenike A. Akinsemolu, has been recognised as a Lead Author of Chapter 8 in the newly released Global Environment Outlook 7 (GEO-7), the United Nations Environment Programme’s flagship environmental assessment.

GEO-7, now officially published, is the most comprehensive environmental review ever produced by UNEP. The report brings together 287 scientists from 82 countries, offering evidence-based guidance on global sustainability, policy pathways, and environmental futures.

Dr. Akinsemolu’s contribution reflects her longstanding leadership in sustainability science and her commitment to shaping environmental knowledge from an African perspective.

READ FULL REPORT

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Is It Possible to Be Truly Selfless, or Are All Actions Driven by Personal Gain? | Officially Green Series with Dr. Fazlun Khalid

THE GREEN INSTITUTE

Can human beings ever act without expecting something in return? And what does selflessness have to do with the way we treat one another—and the planet?

These questions shaped the 28 November 2025 edition of the Officially Green Series, hosted by Dr. Adenike A. Akinsemolu of The Green Institute. The session, titled “Is It Possible to Be Truly Selfless, or Are All Actions Driven by Personal Gain?”, featured Dr. Fazlun Khalid, founder of the Islamic Foundation for Ecology and Environmental Sciences (IFEES) and a leading voice in Islamic environmental thought.

The conversation moved beyond the philosophical question of whether pure selflessness exists. It explored ego, intention, consumerism, spirituality, community and environmental responsibility, asking what it truly means to live for something beyond ourselves.

Can We Ever Be Truly Selfless?

Dr. Khalid began with a simple reality: we all have an ego. Human beings naturally experience satisfaction, recognition or fulfilment from their actions, including acts of generosity.

But this does not necessarily make those actions selfish.

For Dr. Khalid, the more important issue is intention. Why do we give? Why do we serve? Why do we choose to help another person?

An individual may experience happiness after doing something good, but that feeling does not automatically cancel the value of the act. Compassion, generosity and altruism can, in fact, help reshape the ego and direct it towards service.

Selflessness, therefore, may not require completely eliminating the self. Instead, it involves developing the discipline to look beyond it.

Our Relationship With Nature Is Part of the Question

The conversation soon expanded from human relationships to our relationship with the natural world.

Drawing from Islamic environmental ethics, Dr. Khalid described creation as something humanity is deeply connected to rather than separate from. He spoke about the Qur'anic concept of mizan, or balance, and the responsibility of human beings to respect the balance within creation.

For him, one of the roots of today's environmental crisis is our growing disconnection from nature. Consumerism and modern ideas of development have encouraged people to see the natural world primarily in terms of what can be extracted, owned or consumed.

He also highlighted Al-Mizan: A Covenant for the Earth, an environmental document drawing on Islamic teachings and developed to strengthen ecological responsibility within faith communities and beyond.

The message was clear: caring for the Earth cannot be separated from how we understand our responsibilities to others.

“We Are Made to Want Today What Did Not Exist Yesterday”

One of the most memorable observations of the session came during the discussion on consumer culture.

“We are made to want today what did not exist yesterday.”

Dr. Khalid reflected on a society in which success is increasingly associated with acquiring more—a better job, a larger home, the latest phone or another new possession.

Technology itself, he stressed, is not necessarily the problem. The challenge is how it is used and how easily constant advertising, competition and consumption can shape our desires.

This is particularly important for younger generations. Dr. Khalid spoke about the traditional idea of “transmission”—children learning values by observing parents, elders and the wider community. Sharing, caring, good behaviour and responsibility towards the Earth were not simply taught in formal lessons; they were demonstrated through everyday life.

As screens take on a greater role in shaping attitudes and aspirations, he argued for rebuilding strong family and community relationships and using technology more deliberately for education, care and positive social development.

From Taking to Giving

The conversation also explored spiritual traditions of self-restraint and discipline. Dr. Khalid discussed futuwwah, which includes teachings around good manners, service, respect for others and responsibility towards the environment.

These principles bring the question of selflessness into everyday life.

What do we choose to buy? How much do we really need? How do we use our resources? Are our decisions guided entirely by personal advancement, or do we consider their impact on other people and the Earth?

Selflessness becomes less of an abstract ideal and more of a practice—one expressed through generosity, restraint, service and conscious choices.

Think of the Other

Perhaps the simplest lesson of the webinar came when Dr. Khalid reflected on living a more giving life:

“Think of the other.”

In those few words lies a challenge to the culture of endless consumption and individual gain.

Thinking of the other means recognising that our lives are connected—to family, community, future generations and the natural world. It does not mean that we cease to have personal needs or ambitions. Rather, it asks us to make room for something beyond ourselves.

The session offered no simplistic answer to whether absolute selflessness exists. Instead, it left participants with a more practical question: How can we become more intentional about giving, caring and contributing?

Perhaps creating a greener and more humane world begins there—not with eliminating the self, but with learning to think beyond it.

The Officially Green Series is powered by The Green Institute and creates space for conversations exploring the ideas, values and actions shaping a greener and more humane world.

WORLD SUSTAINABILITY CONFERENCE 2025: Turning Sustainability Ambition into Action

THE GREEN INSTITUTE

On 4–5 November 2025, researchers, policymakers, sustainability practitioners, business leaders and change-makers came together virtually for the World Sustainability Conference 2025 (WSC 2025), organised by the Green Institute in collaboration with HeTa Research Institute and the University of Birmingham.

Under the theme “Sustainability 360°: Integrating People, Planet, and Policy,” the conference advanced a simple but increasingly urgent proposition: sustainability cannot be solved in fragments.

Climate change is not solely an environmental problem. Pollution is not only a scientific problem. Green finance is not simply about capital. Technology is not automatically sustainable because it is innovative. And policies cannot succeed if the people they are intended to serve cannot participate in, afford or trust them.

Opening the conference, Dr Helen Onyeaka captured this ambition succinctly: the gathering was designed to explore how society can turn “big sustainability ambitions into practical results” by aligning people, planet and policy.

That idea became the connecting thread across a remarkably interdisciplinary programme.

From climate pledges to practical delivery

Conference Chair Professor David Hannah, Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Sustainability at the University of Birmingham, set the tone by emphasising the urgency of moving beyond climate commitments towards implementation.

Speaking ahead of COP30, he highlighted the need to shift from pledges to delivery, arguing that mitigation, adaptation and resilience must increasingly translate into practical action.

The challenge is not simply to produce more sustainability knowledge. It is to ensure that knowledge reaches policymakers, practitioners and communities and is ultimately used to create measurable change. Professor Hannah stressed this connection between research and real-world impact during his address.

This perspective reflects the wider philosophy behind Sustainability 360°. Solutions are strongest when scientific understanding, social realities and public policy work together rather than in isolation.

Making the invisible visible: science, art and air pollution

One of the conference’s most compelling examples of interdisciplinary sustainability came from Professor Francis Pope, Professor of Atmospheric Science at the University of Birmingham.

His presentation explored the role of art–science collaboration in communicating air pollution.

Air pollution is particularly challenging because much of it is invisible. People may understand intellectually that polluted air is dangerous without being able to see the pollutants surrounding them.

Professor Pope demonstrated how low-cost air-quality sensors are changing this relationship. These technologies can provide greater spatial and temporal resolution, enable mobile monitoring, support citizen science and extend environmental measurement into communities.

But the innovation went beyond sensors.

Through the Air of the Anthropocene project, pollution measurements were transformed into visual light paintings, making invisible environmental data visible and emotionally comprehensible. The work brought together scientists, artists, schools, communities and policymakers, illustrating how data can become a vehicle for public engagement rather than remaining confined to academic publications.

It was an important reminder that solving sustainability challenges also requires solving a communication challenge: people are more likely to engage with environmental problems when they can see, understand and connect with them.

Digital transformation: solution, risk or both?

Technology occupied another important part of the conference agenda.

Dr Nur Gundogdu, Assistant Professor of Strategy and Sustainability at the University of Birmingham, examined digital transformation for sustainability.

Digital technologies offer enormous possibilities. Internet of Things systems, big data, digital twins and information and communication technologies can improve resource efficiency, transparency, monitoring and decision-making.

But the conference resisted a simplistic “technology equals sustainability” narrative.

Dr Gundogdu emphasised that digitalisation may also generate unintended consequences, including additional energy demand, inequality and rebound effects that can offset environmental improvements. Achieving genuinely sustainable digital transformation therefore requires governance and systemic alignment so that technological progress supports ecological integrity and social well-being rather than creating new forms of exclusion.

“What should technology do, for whom, and at what environmental and social cost?”

Rethinking sustainable transport beyond the electric vehicle

The complexity of sustainable transitions was also evident in Dr Nana Osei Bonsu’s presentation on decarbonising global transport value chains.

Electric vehicles are central to many national net-zero strategies, but focusing exclusively on tailpipe emissions risks overlooking what happens before a vehicle reaches the road.

Mining. Battery production. Manufacturing. Energy generation. International supply chains. Recycling.

Dr Bonsu’s analysis highlighted environmental and social risks associated with critical-mineral extraction, embedded emissions from manufacturing and fragmented international governance.

His presentation therefore called for sustainability to be embedded throughout the entire global value chain, including low-carbon infrastructure investment, transboundary sustainability assessments, policy alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals and ESG criteria, and regenerative approaches to resource use.

Perhaps the most significant lesson is that decarbonisation cannot simply relocate environmental damage.

A transition can be low-carbon in one country while producing environmental degradation or social injustice somewhere else. Sustainability requires looking at the complete system.

Can finance become a force for climate justice?

Money is another critical part of that system.

Professor Hisham Farag, Professor of Finance at the University of Birmingham, examined the responsibilities of institutional investors and the rapidly evolving field of sustainable finance.

Climate finance is often discussed in terms of investment volumes, but Professor Farag pushed the conversation further.

In his conclusion, he argued that climate finance is also fundamentally about fairness and justice, requiring political will, appropriate regulation and financial innovation.

His presentation also raised challenging questions about institutional investors. Evidence discussed during the session suggests that investor behaviour can influence the development of green finance markets. In research examining green bonds, for example, some types of short-term institutional investors were associated with constraints on green bond issuance, while shareholder activism could mitigate this effect.

The broader message was clear: finance is not neutral. Where money flows, under what conditions, and with what accountability can accelerate — or obstruct — sustainability transitions.

From global SDGs to organisational reality

The Sustainable Development Goals have become one of the world’s most recognisable sustainability frameworks.

Yet there remains a difficult question: What happens after an organisation says it supports the SDGs?

Professor Ataur Belal, Professor of Accounting and Sustainability at the University of Birmingham, explored the translation of global SDG ambitions into organisational practices.

His research shows that this translation can be uneven. Across different national and organisational contexts, companies and institutions may adopt SDG reporting, establish sustainability structures or modify policies. But significant gaps can remain between formal alignment and systematic implementation.

Examples presented at the conference highlighted challenges including limited Scope 3 emissions disclosure, weak organisational translation processes, inadequate sustainability data, lack of awareness and insufficient organisational capacity.

The lesson is important for governments, companies and journalists alike: displaying an SDG logo is not the same as delivering an SDG outcome. Real progress requires measurement, institutional change and accountability.

Sustainability through the courts

Environmental progress also depends upon law.

Dr Eghosa Ekhator, Associate Professor of International Environmental Law at the University of Derby, examined the evolving relationship between sustainable development and African courts.

His presentation explored how African domestic, sub-regional and regional institutions have dealt with environmental rights and sustainable development, including litigation involving communities affected by environmental degradation in the Niger Delta.

Importantly, the presentation placed sustainability within a broader framework of rights, development and justice.

Dr Ekhator argued that African courts should interpret sustainable development in light of contemporary challenges such as climate change while also recognising the potential contribution of indigenous principles and ethics to sustainability thinking.

This reinforces another core theme of WSC 2025: environmental sustainability cannot be separated from questions of rights, institutions and access to justice.

Nature itself as environmental technology

Another striking example of innovation came from Dr Mohamed Abdallah and collaborators at the University of Birmingham, who presented research into an innovative biological approach for removing emerging pollutants from wastewater.

The work uses Daphnia, tiny aquatic filter feeders sometimes referred to as water fleas, as part of a potential tertiary wastewater-treatment system.

Controlled prototype results presented at the conference showed encouraging removal efficiencies for several contaminants, including diclofenac, arsenic, atrazine and PFOS.

Crucially, however, the researchers also examined the wider environmental footprint through lifecycle assessment and identified the need for further optimisation under real-world conditions.

It is precisely this combination of innovation and critical evaluation that Sustainability 360° seeks to encourage. A technology is not sustainable merely because its objective is environmental. Its materials, manufacturing, energy demand, scalability and complete lifecycle must also be considered.

Sustainability is ultimately about connection

Across finance, law, technology, pollution, transport, water, business and the Sustainable Development Goals, WSC 2025 repeatedly returned to the same conclusion.

The greatest sustainability challenges are interconnected. So must be the solutions.

•  People cannot be separated from planetary systems.

•  Environmental ambitions cannot be separated from economic realities.

•  Innovation cannot be separated from governance.

•  Climate finance cannot be separated from justice.

•  Global goals cannot be separated from local implementation.

•  Research cannot remain separated from the communities, policymakers and organisations capable of putting it into practice.

As Professor Hannah explained during the opening session, Sustainability 360° brings together policymakers, researchers, industry innovators and community advocates because true sustainability requires the well-being of people, the health of the planet and the strength of policy to be considered together.

That may ultimately be the most important message from the World Sustainability Conference 2025.

“The world does not lack sustainability ambition. The challenge now is integration, implementation and accountability.”

— World Sustainability Conference 2025

REPORT ON THE INTERDISCIPLINARY DIALOGUE WEBINAR 2025 BY ABEEB MUTALIB

Theme: Connecting Sectors, Protecting the Planet: AI, Law, and Health for Sustainability

Date: Saturday, 30th August 2025

Time: 10:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Platform: Zoom

Host: Kwara State Green Cabinet Ministry under the auspices of The Green Institute

Introduction

On Saturday, 30th August 2025, the Kwara State Green Cabinet Ministry, under the auspices of The Green Institute, successfully hosted the Interdisciplinary Dialogue Webinar themed Connecting Sectors, Protecting the Planet: AI, Law, and Health for Sustainability. The session commenced promptly at 10:00 a.m. via Zoom and concluded at 12:15 p.m., engaging nearly two hundred participants from within and outside Nigeria.

Background and Rationale

The accelerating climate crisis continues to influence legal systems, public health, and technological development. Recognising this interconnectedness, this state-level initiative of The Green Institute convened the webinar to foster collaboration across sectors and to promote actionable, cross-disciplinary strategies.

By integrating insights from artificial intelligence, law, and public health, the event aligned with global sustainability objectives while positioning Kwara State as a pioneering hub for interdisciplinary environmental action.

Objectives

The key objectives of the webinar were to:

1. Explore the intersections of AI, law, and health in advancing environmental sustainability.

2. Encourage collaborative, cross-sectoral thinking in addressing climate-related challenges.

3. Inspire participants to develop and implement action-oriented solutions.

4. Present the Kwara State Green Cabinet Ministry as an inclusive platform for sustainable innovation.

Opening Session

The session opened with warm welcome remarks and goodwill messages. Dr Adenike Akinsemolu, Director of The Green Institute, delivered an inspiring keynote address emphasising the vital links between AI, law, and health in shaping a sustainable future. She urged attendees to adopt the Green Pledge as a practical framework for individual, community, and global action.

A goodwill message from the Ministry of Environment, Kwara State, was also delivered. Special recognition was extended to the Honourable Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Nafisat Musa Buge, for her unwavering support and commitment to collaborative environmental action.

Speaker Presentations

• Dr ‘Deji Ajani discussed how AI, leveraging data, automation, and predictive modelling, can revolutionise environmental monitoring by detecting deforestation, energy inefficiency, and other ecological challenges. He emphasised AI’s potential to provide real-time insights for proactive intervention.

• Barrister Imam Abdur-Rasheed Ahmed analysed Nigeria’s environmental legal frameworks, referencing key legislation such as the NESREA Act, Climate Change Act, FEPA, the Environmental Impact Assessment Act, and state-level laws including the Kwara State Environmental Protection Agency Law. He stressed the importance of institutional synergy in protecting public health and upholding constitutional rights.

• Mr Jimoh Habibullahi highlighted environmental pollution as a silent global killer responsible for premature deaths and widespread illnesses. He advocated for a transition to renewable energy, stronger pollution control measures, improved access to clean water, and the promotion of sustainable agricultural practices.

Interactive Engagement

Participants had ample opportunity to engage with the speakers, pose questions, and share perspectives. Notably:

• Priyashree Ghosal, a participant from India, highlighted the environmental challenges associated with Durga Puja festivals, such as the widespread use of single-use plastics and improper waste disposal, which significantly raise pollution levels during celebrations.

• Isiyaku Abdullahi, from Northern Nigeria, emphasised that environmental degradation is often exacerbated by weak law enforcement and corporate non-compliance. He called for the strengthening of legal frameworks to move beyond policy documentation towards genuine implementation and improved public health outcomes.

Moderation and Coordination

The session was expertly moderated by Adio Faidat, a final-year law student and executive member of the Kwara State Green Cabinet Ministry. Behind-the-scenes coordination was efficiently handled by Abdullahi Tawfiq Salman and Abdulazeez Bin-Abdulazeez, whose dedication ensured the seamless execution of the event.

Certificates and Recognition

Certificates of Participation were issued to all attendees in recognition of their engagement. Special appreciation goes to Hon. Nafisat Musa Buge, Honourable Commissioner for Environment, Kwara State, for her continued support. Gratitude is also extended to Dr Adenike Akinsemolu, Director of The Green Institute, the distinguished speakers, and every member of the Kwara State Green Cabinet team whose collective efforts contributed to the success of the programme.

Closing and Key Takeaways

Abeeb Mutalib, Coordinator of the Kwara State Green Cabinet, delivered the vote of thanks. He encouraged participants to apply the knowledge gained by integrating sustainability practices into their professions, communities, and daily lives. The webinar officially closed at 12:15 p.m.

Conclusion

The Interdisciplinary Dialogue Webinar 2025 demonstrated that meaningful environmental progress can be achieved when technology, legal systems, and public health are addressed in harmony. By bringing together voices from multiple disciplines, The Green Institute and the Kwara State Green Cabinet Ministry continue to lead the way in inspiring actionable change towards a more sustainable future.

Global Climate Agreements and National Commitments: A Comparative Analysis of Adherence to the Paris Agreement

Rejina K.C.
Green Fellow 2024

Once upon a time, in a world grappling with an escalating climate crisis, countries around the globe came together with a common goal: to prevent the global temperature from rising more than 2°C above pre-industrial levels—and ideally, to limit it to 1.5°C. This ambitious target, the result of years of negotiation, culminated in the Paris Agreement of 2015—a landmark accord and a beacon of hope in the fight against climate change.

Key Pillars of the Paris Agreement

Unlike previous climate accords, the Paris Agreement adopted a bottom-up approach through Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Instead of binding top-down regulations, it empowered countries to set their own climate goals based on national circumstances. While the agreement lacks strict enforcement mechanisms, it relies on transparency, periodic review, and global cooperation to drive progress.

The agreement acknowledges the critical role of major emitters while recognizing the unique challenges faced by developing nations. It aims to address mitigation, adaptation, climate finance, and regular updates of NDCs every five years. Since its inception, various national policies—like the European Green Deal and China’s carbon neutrality pledge—have emerged in response.

Let’s explore how some countries are faring in their commitments:

Country Highlights: Progress and Challenges

European Union

• Commitment: 55% emissions reduction by 2030, net-zero emissions by 2050.

• Progress: Currently at around 24% reduction.

• Challenges: Internal disagreements, e.g., Poland’s reliance on coal, slow down unified action. However, coordinated efforts are ongoing to meet targets.

China

• Commitment: Peak emissions by 2030, carbon neutrality by 2060.

• Progress: Leading in solar and wind energy investment.

• Challenges: Persistent coal dependency undermines its climate goals.

Indonesia

• Commitment: 29% emissions reduction by 2030 (41% with international support).

• Progress: Forest conservation and renewable initiatives underway.

• Challenges: Deforestation remains a serious concern, making progress uneven.

United Kingdom

• Commitment: 68% emissions reduction by 2030, net-zero by 2050.

• Progress: On a clear pathway, with substantial reductions achieved.

• Challenges: Political consistency and energy pricing are ongoing concerns.

United States

• Commitment: Varied due to policy changes.

• Progress: Rejoined the Paris Agreement under the Biden administration.

• Challenges: Withdrawal under President Trump caused setbacks and global uncertainty about U.S. leadership on climate.

Nepal

• Commitment: 20% GHG emissions reduction by 2030 (up to 40% with support).

• Progress: Strong emphasis on adaptation, given its limited industrial emissions.

• Challenges: Equitable access to climate finance and its efficient mobilization remain key issues.

Tracking Progress: Tools and Accountability

Organizations like the Climate Action Tracker (CAT) evaluate countries based on their NDCs and actual policy implementation. CAT rates progress from “Critically Insufficient” to “1.5°C Compatible.” Although no country is currently on track for the 1.5°C goal, some developing countries—including Nepal, Morocco, Nigeria, Chile, Ethiopia, and Norway—are categorized as “Almost Sufficient.”

However, CAT has its limitations:

• Only tracks 34 countries and the EU, though this represents 85% of global emissions.

• Faces challenges around data availability and political sensitivities.

Major Challenges Undermining the Paris Agreement

Unmet Climate Finance Promises

The long-standing pledge of $100 billion per year in support for developing nations remains unfulfilled, stalling mitigation and adaptation efforts where they are needed most.

The Road to 3°C

Despite the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C ambition, the world is currently on a path toward 3°C warming. This dangerous gap between pledges and action threatens ecosystems and human security.

Lack of Accountability

While the Paris Agreement is inclusive and flexible, enforcement mechanisms are weak. The largest emitters often avoid accountability, leaving vulnerable nations to face disproportionate impacts.

The Elusive Reality of Climate Justice

Developed countries, responsible for the bulk of historical emissions, have yet to fully acknowledge their moral and financial responsibility. Meanwhile, developing nations in the Global South bear the brunt of climate impacts with limited resources.

Charting the Future: A Call to Collective Action

Imagine the world as a massive ship adrift in turbulent waters. Our destination is unclear, the storm is intensifying, and the leaders steering this vessel—our nations—are moving too slowly. Yet, we still have time to correct our course.

The Paris Agreement provides the map, but it is our collective will and action that will determine the outcome. Achieving climate justice and meeting the NDCs demands:

• Urgency and ambition from world leaders.

• Accountability for emissions and pledges.

• Climate finance that actually reaches those who need it.

• Active participation from individuals, businesses, and civil society.

As individuals, we are not powerless. Whether by reducing our carbon footprint, supporting green innovations, or demanding stronger policies, we all have a role to play.

The planet doesn’t belong to governments or corporations alone—it belongs to all of us. Our choices today will shape the world our children inherit tomorrow.

Sources

• NRDC: Everything You Need to Know About the Paris Agreement

• UNFCCC: The Paris Agreement

• European Green Deal – European Commission

• International Energy Agency (IEA): China’s Energy Policy

• Climate Finance Landscape – CPI

• Climate Action Tracker

GREEN FELLOW SPOTLIGHT: Jyotshana Bhattarai from Nepal leading an environmental awareness for a more sustainable future

"Planting trees is more than an act of conservation; it's a commitment to a healthier planet and future generations." – Jyotshana Bhattarai (Green Fellow, 2024)

Green Fellow Jyotshana Bhattarai from Nepal, led a dynamic environmental outreach program, bringing hands-on sustainability education to schools, temples, and community centers. Through tree-planting initiatives, interactive discussions, and practical engagement, she encouraged communities to take active roles in environmental conservation.

Engaging Schools and Communities

At Nexus International Academy in Kathmandu, Jyotshana facilitated an interactive session for teachers, students, and staff, highlighting the importance of tree planting. The session concluded with a hands-on tree-planting activity, reinforcing the message of sustainability through direct action.

Similarly, a local temple became a hub for environmental awareness. The volunteers participated in cleaning drive, ensuring the temple grounds remained green and well-maintained. The event’s impact was amplified as photos and videos were shared across various media platforms.

At the Child Correction Home in Sanothimi, Bhaktapur, Jyotshana led an initiative to educate children about environmental stewardship. Through tree planting and discussions on ecosystem health, she inspired young minds to take ownership of their surroundings and embrace sustainability.

Impact and Reception

The outreach program deepened environmental awareness within the communities. Many participants committed to adopting sustainable habits in their daily lives. Schools praised the initiative for fostering environmental responsibility among students, while temple officials noted the improvement in their surroundings. The Child Correction Home valued the program’s educational impact on the children.

GREEN FELLOW SPOTLIGHT: Spreading the #OfficiallyGreen Message in Shimshal Hunza, Pakistan

Mehwish Murtaza, a dedicated Green Fellow, led an impactful session to promote the #OfficiallyGreen message and environmental sustainability at Diamond Jubilee School in Shimshal Hunza, Pakistan. This initiative aligned with the Green Institute’s mission of fostering awareness and encouraging sustainable practices in communities, particularly among young learners.

I am #OfficiallyGreen

Shimshal Hunza, known for its high-altitude terrain and harsh winters with temperatures ranging from -5°C to -15°C, presents unique environmental challenges. Through this session, Mehwish aimed to equip students with the knowledge and commitment needed to protect their surroundings and embrace the Officially Green Pledges.

The session commenced with an engaging presentation on environmental sustainability, covering essential topics such as climate change, waste management, and biodiversity conservation. Mehwish introduced the seven Officially Green Pledges, emphasizing their role in fostering responsible environmental behavior.

To ensure interactive learning, students participated in various hands-on activities, including eco-action games, a sustainability-themed skit, and a "Promise Wall" where they pledged to protect the environment. These activities made sustainability concepts relatable and encouraged students to apply them in their daily lives.

The event was a resounding success, with students demonstrating enthusiasm and a willingness to adopt sustainable habits. The initiative reinforced the importance of community engagement in driving environmental awareness and inspired many young individuals to become sustainability advocates.

Reflecting on the experience, Mehwish expressed gratitude for being part of the #OfficiallyGreen movement and reaffirmed her commitment to promoting environmental responsibility. She hopes to continue leading similar initiatives that empower communities and instill a lasting culture of sustainability.

Through efforts like these, the Green Institute and its Fellows continue to make a tangible impact, proving that small, collective actions can create a more sustainable future for all.

Inspiring the Next Generation: Taking Sustainability Education to Schools in Ilorin by Abeeb Mutalib, a Green Fellow

As part of my engagement in The Green Fellows Programme 2024/25 at The Green Institute, I had the privilege of leading a team to promote sustainability education in two secondary schools in Ilorin, Kwara State. This initiative aimed to inspire young minds, instilling the importance of environmental stewardship and sustainable practices in their daily lives.

Bringing Sustainability to the Classroom

Between February 19-26, 2025, our team visited As-Sunnah College and Community Secondary School in Oke-Odo, Tanke, Ilorin, where we conducted engaging sessions to raise awareness on sustainability and environmental responsibility. Our activities were interactive, insightful, and centered on fostering a sense of responsibility among students toward a greener future.

Key Activities and Discussions:

✅ Interactive Teaching Sessions – We facilitated discussions on waste management, pollution control, and renewable energy sources, making sustainability concepts relatable and actionable for students.

✅ SDG Awareness – We focused on four key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their relevance to everyday life:

• SDG 4 (Quality Education): Emphasizing education as the foundation of sustainability and other SDGs.

• SDG 7 (Clean Energy): Highlighting energy conservation and the benefits of renewable energy, such as reducing pollution and preventing respiratory diseases.

• SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): Encouraging waste management and urban cleanliness through collective action.

• SDG 13 (Climate Action): Teaching students how reducing carbon footprints and proper waste disposal can positively impact the environment.

✅ The Green Pledge Ceremony – Students took a pledge to keep their environment clean, avoid littering, and embrace sustainable habits. Their commitment was echoed in the words: "I will never drop that waste on the floor... Above all, I pledge to be Green."

✅ Engaging Q&A Sessions – Students actively participated in interactive discussions, asking thought-provoking questions and demonstrating their understanding of sustainability concepts. We also posed questions at the end of each session to reinforce learning, with outstanding students receiving recognition for their engagement.

✅ Rewards and Recognition – To encourage active participation, students who showed enthusiasm and curiosity were rewarded with small tokens of appreciation.

Impact and Reflections

The enthusiasm displayed by the students was truly inspiring. Many expressed a strong desire to adopt better waste disposal habits and advocate for sustainability in their schools and communities. The Green Pledge further solidified their commitment to making a positive environmental impact.

We also observed that some teachers took an interest in the Green Institute’s mission and inquired about joining the Green Fellows Programme 2025. The registration forms were made available to them, expanding the network of environmental stewards.

Acknowledgments

This outreach would not have been possible without the dedication of my volunteer team members, Abdullahi Tawfiq Salman and Faruq Jumu'ah, who played a significant role in making the sessions impactful. Their contributions, alongside the cooperation of the participating schools, reinforced the power of collective action in driving sustainability education forward.

Looking Ahead

Education is a powerful tool in shaping environmentally responsible citizens. Through initiatives like this, we are nurturing a generation that understands the urgency of climate action and the importance of sustainable living. I look forward to continuing this journey, expanding our outreach, and inspiring more young minds to become champions for a greener future.

Together, we can make sustainability a way of life!

GREEN FELLOW SPOTLIGHT: Spreading the #OfficiallyGreen message through sustainability outreach in Bujumbura, Burundi

Leda-Bella Nkundamahoro, a committed Green Fellow, led an inspiring community outreach in Burundi as part of the Green Institute Fellows Program. Her efforts to spread the #OfficiallyGreen message took her to three distinct locations: a school, a religious organization, and a community center. Through engaging discussions and interactive activities, she encouraged participants to embrace sustainable practices and take meaningful action toward a greener future.

At Ecole Normale Superieur du Burundi (ENS), Leda-Bella introduced university students to the seven Officially Green Pledges, emphasizing the importance of waste reduction, energy conservation, and mindful consumption. The students actively participated in discussions and pledged their commitment by taking photos and recording videos. Their enthusiasm was palpable, with many expressing their determination to advocate for sustainability within their school and beyond.

The outreach continued at Saint Paul Church of Burundi and Family’s Church, where Leda-Bella highlighted the intersection of faith and environmental stewardship. She engaged congregants in discussions on how sustainability aligns with religious values and distributed the Officially Green Pledges. The church members responded positively, sharing ideas on integrating sustainable habits into their daily lives, from reducing food waste to conserving water.

At Ruvumera Market in Bujumbura, she connected with traders and community members, emphasizing the role of collective action in sustainability. She facilitated interactive discussions, encouraging participants to explore practical ways to reduce their environmental footprint. The engagement was impactful, with many attendees pledging to adopt sustainable practices such as minimizing plastic use and planting trees. The energy and commitment displayed during this visit created a ripple effect, inspiring participants to spread the #OfficiallyGreen message within their networks.

Her outreach successfully fostered awareness, encouraged action, and reinforced the importance of community-driven sustainability efforts. Moving forward, she aims to continue these engagements, ensuring that the #OfficiallyGreen message remains a guiding force in building a more sustainable future for Burundi and beyond.