Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has appointed Prof. Chukwumerije Okereke as a special adviser on Climate Policy and Sustainable Development.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by Okereke and made available to newsmen on Tuesday in Lagos.
With the appointment, Okereke has been mandated to design and execute science-based climate policy for the state, with the goal of contributing to its long-term growth.
The professor, who was born in Enugu, is an expert in climate governance, environmental policy, and international development.
He is regarded as one of Africa’s leading researchers in the fields of climate justice, low-carbon development, and green economic transition.
Okereke holds a chair in Global Governance and Public Policy at the prestigious School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol University, UK, and is also the director of the Centre for Climate Change and Development, Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi State.
He is also a visiting professor at the London School of Economics, and a senior academic visitor at the University of Oxford.
“Over the last 20 years, Professor Okereke has maintained an extensive high-impact engagement with national governments, businesses, and NGOs in Africa and led several high-profile international projects on climate change policy, mainstreaming, and green economy transition in Africa.
He led the team that analysed the adaptation components of African Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) for the African Development Bank under the direction of the Bank’s Climate and Green Growth Division,” the release stated.
Okereke was the founding project manager of the Rwandan Green Growth and Climate Resilience Project, which was said to be the first ever national low-carbon plan in Africa.
“Prof Okereke was the technical leader of the Climate Change Bill Review Committee convened by the former Hon Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Femi Gbajabiamiala, and was responsible for developing several innovative aspects of the Climate Change Act, including the carbon budget and the DG position of the National Council on Climate Change.
“Professor Okereke has led several major national climate change research and policy initiatives, including the Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy, Nigeria’s Long Term Vision, and Which Way Nigeria: Citizens Scenario 2060,” it added.
