The 18th National Council on Environment (NCE) concluded in Katsina State with a renewed national resolve to confront the interconnected challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution collectively known as the triple planetary crisis recognized as critical to Nigeria’s sustainable development, economic resilience, and environmental security.

In his remarks, the Governor of Katsina State, Dr. Dikko Radda, represented by the Deputy Governor, Mallam Farouk Jobe, reaffirmed the state’s strong commitment to environmental sustainability.

Radda highlighted the Governor’s early approval of funding and sustained support that ensured the successful hosting of the Council, describing the NCE as a vital platform for policy harmonization, collaboration, and coordinated action in addressing Nigeria’s pressing environmental challenges.

Delivering the keynote address, the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, described the Council’s theme, “Tackling the Triple Planetary Crisis of Climate Change, Biodiversity Loss, and Pollution for Sustainable Development in Nigeria,” as timely and imperative.

Lawal warned that rising temperatures, desertification, flooding, pollution, and ecosystem degradation are already undermining livelihoods across the country, stressing that the crises are deeply interlinked and require an integrated, science-driven, and multi-sectoral response.

In a statement on Thursday, by the Head of Press, National Agency for Great Green Wall (NAGGW), Amina Garba, the minister commended Katsina State for its exemplary leadership in climate governance, noting its second place ranking in the 2025 Subnational Climate Governance Performance Ranking.

He highlighted the state’s Green Economy Roadmap, which prioritizes renewable energy, dryland agriculture, eco-tourism, waste-to-energy solutions, and climate-smart development, alongside plans to establish a Green Investment Fund and implement a 2025–2030 Climate Action Plan.

The minister urged other states to replicate Katsina’s approach in transforming challenges such as desertification and soil degradation into opportunities for economic growth and job creation.

Reaffirming the Federal Government’s commitment, minister Lawal cited ongoing national initiatives including the Nigeria Energy Transition Plan, the Great Green Wall Programme under the leadership of the Director General/CEO, Saleh Abubakar, the National Policy on Plastic Waste Management, and renewable energy and clean cooking policies.

He also called for innovative financing mechanisms such as public-private partnerships, green bonds, climate funds, and carbon markets, while encouraging stronger private-sector engagement, identifying corporate actors such as the Dangote Group and Nigeria Bottling Company as potential partners in environmental restoration and sustainability efforts.

The NCE convened Commissioners responsible for the environment from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, alongside development partners, academia, private-sector stakeholders, and civil society organizations. Participants deliberated on memoranda, reviewed technical submissions, and adopted resolutions expected to guide future environmental policies and interventions nationwide.