JUST TRANSITION AND DEVELOPMENT: THE ROLE OF TRADE UNIONS IN NIGERIA

1. JUST TRANSITION AND DEVELOPMENT: THE ROLE OF TRADE UNIONS IN NIGERIA A presentation to the TU-OECD-DAC Forum Paris, 9 April 2019 Hauwa Mustapha (Economist) Climate Change Coordinator, Nigeria Labour Congress

2. Socio-Economic Characteristics of Nigeria • Population is estimated at 198 million • Female: 49% Male: 51% • Livelihoods: Farming (fishery, poultry, livestock etc), trading& services • Poverty: about 70% living below the poverty line • GDP per capita @ about $2400 making it less than 20% of the world average

3. Employment characteristics • Work force: 44% of the total population • Unemployment: 23% • Unemployment/underemployment: 43% • Informal sector employment: about 65% of the total employment (female is 50.3%) • Agriculture sector employment: 70% • Oil & industry: 15%, services et al: 15% • Agricultural practice: largely subsistence • Employment in the emerging renewables is largely informal (technicians, installers, retailers, distributors, etc)

4. Social protection & development • Social protection policy is anchored on promotion of social justice, equity and growth by addressing poverty, unemployment social and economic vulnerabilities, inequality and exclusion. • Coverage is 100% of formal sector workers (at least pension), informal sector coverage is less than 12% • Economic growth & development policy of the government is heavily dependent on the fossil fuel exploration and income (avg. 60% of budget revenue) • Non-oil source of revenue also being explored

5. Energy policy • promote the diversification of the energy resources through the development and optimal utilization of all (fossil fuel inclusive), including the introduction of new and alternative Energy resources like Solar, Wind, Biomass and Nuclear Energy. • Training and manpower development

6. Energy Sources and Consumption

7. Ecological characteristics • Land Area: 917sq km • Forest area: 8% of total land area • Arable land: 37% of total land • Average precipitation: 1150m • Humid tropical forest to the south • High rainfall in the south with tropical forest • Savannah land to the north experience shorter rainfall with a large number of grazing livestock

8. Environmental problems in Nigeria • Oil spillage & destruction of fresh water source, fisheries livelihoods and wellbeing • Increased heat radiation from gas flaring (17%) • 45% farmers rely on chemical fertilizer + agric induced ghg emissions • Badly leached soil results in severe erosions in many communities • Increased acidity of rainwater especially in oil producing and cement production communities • Increasing cases of earth tremors

9. Climate change consequences • Annual fresh water withdrawal • Increasing desertification • Increased heat stress • Increasing water scarcity • Increased communal tension • Internal migration • Loss of livelihoods, property and lives to increased precipitation and heavy winds • Workers and families affected in all cases

10. Nationally Determined Contribution and development • The NDC aims at energy efficiency and reduction in gas flaring • Nigeria’s energy policy targets 30% in renewable energy mix by 2030 with work training and human development • Promote sustainable development through the reduction of poverty, increasing social welfare, wellbeing and decent jobs

11. NDC, Just Transition and the NLC • The govt through the FME has invited the NLC to “…develop a national roadmap outlining action plans for domesticating the silesia declaration to chart a new carbon economy and build workers’ perspective on the implementation of the NDC and related domestic policy instruments”. • The recognition did not come on a platter of gold. The NLC in the last five years has been engaging Climate Change research, education and training

12. The Issues • Currently government says that it will require about $142b to execute the NDC • The expected internally generated contribution even at 10% will be sourced from fossil fuel revenue • A delicate overlap between the need for growth and environment sustainability based on common resource will require strategic balancing action plan • Such strategy will address socio-economic poverty, inequality and create decent jobs • Determination required to move from the ‘known’ to the ‘unknown’

13. Strategies • Labour-Civil Society-experts’ collaboration that will lead to identifying the key issues and best practices • Incorporate social dialogue in design and implementation: employers and legislature • To be guided by the provisions of the FGN constitution (Chapter 2), social protection policy, ILO standards and target development rather than vertical growth • Advocacy and campaign

14. NLC’s Journey towards Just Transition • The baseline study • Policy document and Strategic action plan • Training of affiliate union leadership on Climate Change • Training affiliate unions’ representatives on climate change and Just Transition • Training of national leadership on CC & JT

15. Just Transition in the petroleum and the Agriculture sectors • An NLC and ERA-FOEN, collaboration aimed at understanding what Just Transition might entail in the two most critical sectors of GHG emission in Nigeria (funded by FNV & FOE) • Study expected to strengthen the NLC and Labour-CSO collaboration towards a Just Transition. • The project is anchored on the theory of existing struggles for rights to decent jobs, food security, equity and clean energy access for the all • Outcome aims at joint mobilization of the private and public sector to work together for a Just Transition.

16. Conclusion • Managing the implication of fossil fuel divestment on labour/employment requires strategic collaboration between Labour and CSOs on common objectives of decent jobs, fair compensation, adequate training and a reasonable time frame • For the government to meet its social obligation to the citizens (development) and international obligation (Paris agreement) requires a pool of both local and international resources (training, skills and technology) • Policies and action must be contextualized within local reality and peculiar development needs and outcomes

17. Merci beaucoup