There are wars fought with bullets, and there are wars fought with words. Climate change belongs to the latter. In this war, every adjective inserted into a treaty, every comma retained in a negotiating text, every legal interpretation adopted by consensus can determine whether vulnerable communities are saved or left at the mercy of rampaging extreme weather events. It can indeed decide whether billions of dollars flow to poor countries or remain trapped in the vaults of wealthy nations. Here, language is power, and law is diplomacy.That is why the quiet gathering of Nigerian lawyers this week in Abuja may prove to be far more consequential than its modest public profile suggests. Organised by the International Centre for Energy, Environment and Development, in partnership with the African Climate Foundation and the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, the five-day capacity-building programme seeks to prepare Nigerian legal practitioners for two interconnected responsibilities: implementing Nigeria’s Climate Change Act and supporting the country’s delegation to COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye.We may recall that an initial preparatory session was organised for these lawyers in May, a couple of months ago, ahead of the 64th Subsidiary Bodies meetings of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, also known as the June Climate Meetings, in Bonn, Germany. Hence, the current training serves to further sharpen the skills of lawyers ahead of the global climate summit to be held in Turkey in November.Yet, the most cheering aspect of this development is that the capacity-building initiative is establishing a permanent legal working group to consistently support Nigeria’s official delegations and serve as a resource for implementing the Climate Change Act.It is instructive to note that the May workshop exposed participants to the legal architecture of the UNFCCC, the Paris Agreement, carbon markets, climate finance, adaptation frameworks and negotiation procedures. More importantly, it introduced them to the reality that climate diplomacy is increasingly a legal exercise, where lawyers contribute through treaty interpretation, legal drafting, position paper development, analysis of negotiation texts, identification of legal implications of proposed decisions, and advisory support to negotiators. Accordingly, it equipped them with requisite knowledge of negotiation structures, contact groups, agenda items, drafting procedures, and consensus-building techniques commonly used within international climate negotiations.Interestingly, some of the lawyers participated in the SB64 and came back with testimonies of how their improved legal capacity honed their aptitude and efficiency in engaging the climate negotiation process.A lawyer affiliated with the National Council on Climate Change, Awele Ikobi-Anyali, said, ‘The training we underwent in May added to my efficiency at the SB64, because as a lawyer I was in tune with developments at every step. They will bring up some terms, and I remember what I was taught. It enabled me to fully understand the use of words, the essence of words, and their importance; and how to properly place them so that my country will have an advantage in negotiations. So I will say that understanding legal terms, how it is appropriated and interpreted, enabled me to fully engage in the negotiation process at Bonn.‘And of course it added to the strength of the Nigerian delegation because they will ask us as Nigerian lawyers what we have to say about this or that, and we can give an opinion within the negotiation bloc that Nigeria belongs to. And now we are about to go to COP31, we will do better as we have trained lawyers, because as trained lawyers we are conversant with the processes, the COP decisions; and how to interpret text, the legal framework and how to conduct ourselves as lawyers during negotiations.’To many Nigerians, climate conferences remain distant spectacles. Every year, hundreds of delegates disappear into another exotic city, photographs flood social media, speeches are delivered, declarations are signed, and life goes on. Yet that perception misses the profound reality. The future of nations is increasingly being negotiated through climate agreements, as the twenty-first century is silently becoming the century of climate law.Related NewsUK names foreign secretary as W’Bank govLagos targets climate funding through inaugural finance clinicFour daughters, one dream: Family’s inspiring journey to the BarFrom carbon markets and green investments to energy transition, environmental justice, adaptation finance and Loss and Damage, every major climate conversation is ultimately anchored in legal commitments. Nations no longer compete only through military strength or economic power; they increasingly compete through institutional preparedness and legal sophistication. And as for climate change, which is now a central unifying topic for the entire globe, countries that arrive at these negotiations with strong legal teams are often better positioned to defend their national interests. This is where the ICEED initiative becomes strategically significant.The era when developing countries merely demanded climate justice has evolved into one where they must also demonstrate technical competence, institutional readiness and legal precision. Good intentions no longer win negotiations; preparation does.Beyond introducing participants to Nigeria’s Climate Change Act, the programme is cultivating a new generation of professionals capable of interpreting international agreements, drafting domestic regulations, advising policymakers and strengthening Nigeria’s negotiating architecture ahead of COP31. As Nigeria prepares for Antalya, our delegation will confront familiar issues: climate finance, adaptation support, operationalising carbon markets, technology transfer and ensuring that Africa’s development aspirations are not sacrificed on the altar of global emissions reduction.These debates will not be settled through emotional appeals. They will be resolved through painstaking legal negotiations. One misplaced phrase can weaken a country’s negotiating position. One carefully crafted amendment can unlock opportunities worth millions of dollars. Such is the extraordinary power of legal language in today’s climate diplomacy.The ongoing Abuja event is in good hands as the two key resource persons, Pascale Bird [Executive Director] and Monserrat Madariaga, are from Legal Response International, an organisation with a core mandate for expert advice and training of developing countries and civil society groups during international climate change talks.Meanwhile, we need to take a holistic view of climate change issues, as it presents both challenges and opportunities. The Executive Director of ICEED, Ewah Eleri, painted a compelling picture: ‘Things around climate change are evolving very fast. There seems to be a paradigm shift in how we respond to the challenges climate change has thrown to us…. We do not necessarily have to respond; we build a new economy, a new way of organising society, a new way of relating to nature – What the Chinese call ecological civilisation. It is a paradigm shift in such a way as we saw the industrial revolution. A whole civilisation, affecting how we conduct production in various industries, how we transport, provide energy, how we organise life in its entirety.‘And I think those who will succeed and those who will succeed less depend on who sees things in this totality – how do we, for instance, deliver those vital energy services that lead people out of poverty in Nigeria? How do we provide power, how do we provide cookstoves in rural areas, how do we provide new transportation modes, how do we produce food? Not necessarily how we respond to climate change, but how do we just turn around the way we deliver life on earth where economy and planet live side by side and support each other.’My view is that this new process is a strategic national investment in Nigeria’s climate diplomacy. Countries that consistently influence UN climate negotiations maintain multidisciplinary teams comprising diplomats, lawyers, economists, scientists and communications experts. Building a cadre of Nigerian climate lawyers will improve continuity in negotiations, preserve institutional memory and reduce dependence on external expertise.If the participants continue their engagement beyond this workshop and are integrated into Nigeria’s official negotiating architecture, the programme could substantially strengthen Nigeria’s legal preparedness for COP31 and future climate negotiations. It also has the potential to improve implementation of the Climate Change Act, support climate finance mobilisation and enhance the country’s credibility as a leading voice on climate governance in Africa. That is why the quiet gathering of Nigerian lawyers this week in Abuja may prove to be far more consequential than its modest public profile suggests. Organised by the International Centre for Energy, Environment and Development, in partnership with the African Climate Foundation and the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, the five-day capacity-building programme seeks to prepare Nigerian legal practitioners for two interconnected responsibilities: implementing Nigeria’s Climate Change Act and supporting the country’s delegation to COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye.We may recall that an initial preparatory session was organised for these lawyers in May, a couple of months ago, ahead of the 64th Subsidiary Bodies meetings of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, also known as the June Climate Meetings, in Bonn, Germany. Hence, the current training serves to further sharpen the skills of lawyers ahead of the global climate summit to be held in Turkey in November.Yet, the most cheering aspect of this development is that the capacity-building initiative is establishing a permanent legal working group to consistently support Nigeria’s official delegations and serve as a resource for implementing the Climate Change Act.It is instructive to note that the May workshop exposed participants to the legal architecture of the UNFCCC, the Paris Agreement, carbon markets, climate finance, adaptation frameworks and negotiation procedures. More importantly, it introduced them to the reality that climate diplomacy is increasingly a legal exercise, where lawyers contribute through treaty interpretation, legal drafting, position paper development, analysis of negotiation texts, identification of legal implications of proposed decisions, and advisory support to negotiators. Accordingly, it equipped them with requisite knowledge of negotiation structures, contact groups, agenda items, drafting procedures, and consensus-building techniques commonly used within international climate negotiations.Interestingly, some of the lawyers participated in the SB64 and came back with testimonies of how their improved legal capacity honed their aptitude and efficiency in engaging the climate negotiation process.A lawyer affiliated with the National Council on Climate Change, Awele Ikobi-Anyali, said, ‘The training we underwent in May added to my efficiency at the SB64, because as a lawyer I was in tune with developments at every step. They will bring up some terms, and I remember what I was taught. It enabled me to fully understand the use of words, the essence of words, and their importance; and how to properly place them so that my country will have an advantage in negotiations. So I will say that understanding legal terms, how it is appropriated and interpreted, enabled me to fully engage in the negotiation process at Bonn.‘And of course it added to the strength of the Nigerian delegation because they will ask us as Nigerian lawyers what we have to say about this or that, and we can give an opinion within the negotiation bloc that Nigeria belongs to. And now we are about to go to COP31, we will do better as we have trained lawyers, because as trained lawyers we are conversant with the processes, the COP decisions; and how to interpret text, the legal framework and how to conduct ourselves as lawyers during negotiations.’To many Nigerians, climate conferences remain distant spectacles. Every year, hundreds of delegates disappear into another exotic city, photographs flood social media, speeches are delivered, declarations are signed, and life goes on. Yet that perception misses the profound reality. The future of nations is increasingly being negotiated through climate agreements, as the twenty-first century is silently becoming the century of climate law.Related NewsUK names foreign secretary as W’Bank govLagos targets climate funding through inaugural finance clinicFour daughters, one dream: Family’s inspiring journey to the BarFrom carbon markets and green investments to energy transition, environmental justice, adaptation finance and Loss and Damage, every major climate conversation is ultimately anchored in legal commitments. Nations no longer compete only through military strength or economic power; they increasingly compete through institutional preparedness and legal sophistication. And as for climate change, which is now a central unifying topic for the entire globe, countries that arrive at these negotiations with strong legal teams are often better positioned to defend their national interests. This is where the ICEED initiative becomes strategically significant.The era when developing countries merely demanded climate justice has evolved into one where they must also demonstrate technical competence, institutional readiness and legal precision. Good intentions no longer win negotiations; preparation does.Beyond introducing participants to Nigeria’s Climate Change Act, the programme is cultivating a new generation of professionals capable of interpreting international agreements, drafting domestic regulations, advising policymakers and strengthening Nigeria’s negotiating architecture ahead of COP31. As Nigeria prepares for Antalya, our delegation will confront familiar issues: climate finance, adaptation support, operationalising carbon markets, technology transfer and ensuring that Africa’s development aspirations are not sacrificed on the altar of global emissions reduction.These debates will not be settled through emotional appeals. They will be resolved through painstaking legal negotiations. One misplaced phrase can weaken a country’s negotiating position. One carefully crafted amendment can unlock opportunities worth millions of dollars. Such is the extraordinary power of legal language in today’s climate diplomacy.The ongoing Abuja event is in good hands as the two key resource persons, Pascale Bird [Executive Director] and Monserrat Madariaga, are from Legal Response International, an organisation with a core mandate for expert advice and training of developing countries and civil society groups during international climate change talks.Meanwhile, we need to take a holistic view of climate change issues, as it presents both challenges and opportunities. The Executive Director of ICEED, Ewah Eleri, painted a compelling picture: ‘Things around climate change are evolving very fast. There seems to be a paradigm shift in how we respond to the challenges climate change has thrown to us…. We do not necessarily have to respond; we build a new economy, a new way of organising society, a new way of relating to nature – What the Chinese call ecological civilisation. It is a paradigm shift in such a way as we saw the industrial revolution. A whole civilisation, affecting how we conduct production in various industries, how we transport, provide energy, how we organise life in its entirety.‘And I think those who will succeed and those who will succeed less depend on who sees things in this totality – how do we, for instance, deliver those vital energy services that lead people out of poverty in Nigeria? How do we provide power, how do we provide cookstoves in rural areas, how do we provide new transportation modes, how do we produce food? Not necessarily how we respond to climate change, but how do we just turn around the way we deliver life on earth where economy and planet live side by side and support each other.’My view is that this new process is a strategic national investment in Nigeria’s climate diplomacy. Countries that consistently influence UN climate negotiations maintain multidisciplinary teams comprising diplomats, lawyers, economists, scientists and communications experts. Building a cadre of Nigerian climate lawyers will improve continuity in negotiations, preserve institutional memory and reduce dependence on external expertise.If the participants continue their engagement beyond this workshop and are integrated into Nigeria’s official negotiating architecture, the programme could substantially strengthen Nigeria’s legal preparedness for COP31 and future climate negotiations. It also has the potential to improve implementation of the Climate Change Act, support climate finance mobilisation and enhance the country’s credibility as a leading voice on climate governance in Africa. We may recall that an initial preparatory session was organised for these lawyers in May, a couple of months ago, ahead of the 64th Subsidiary Bodies meetings of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, also known as the June Climate Meetings, in Bonn, Germany. Hence, the current training serves to further sharpen the skills of lawyers ahead of the global climate summit to be held in Turkey in November.Yet, the most cheering aspect of this development is that the capacity-building initiative is establishing a permanent legal working group to consistently support Nigeria’s official delegations and serve as a resource for implementing the Climate Change Act.It is instructive to note that the May workshop exposed participants to the legal architecture of the UNFCCC, the Paris Agreement, carbon markets, climate finance, adaptation frameworks and negotiation procedures. More importantly, it introduced them to the reality that climate diplomacy is increasingly a legal exercise, where lawyers contribute through treaty interpretation, legal drafting, position paper development, analysis of negotiation texts, identification of legal implications of proposed decisions, and advisory support to negotiators. Accordingly, it equipped them with requisite knowledge of negotiation structures, contact groups, agenda items, drafting procedures, and consensus-building techniques commonly used within international climate negotiations.Interestingly, some of the lawyers participated in the SB64 and came back with testimonies of how their improved legal capacity honed their aptitude and efficiency in engaging the climate negotiation process.A lawyer affiliated with the National Council on Climate Change, Awele Ikobi-Anyali, said, ‘The training we underwent in May added to my efficiency at the SB64, because as a lawyer I was in tune with developments at every step. They will bring up some terms, and I remember what I was taught. It enabled me to fully understand the use of words, the essence of words, and their importance; and how to properly place them so that my country will have an advantage in negotiations. So I will say that understanding legal terms, how it is appropriated and interpreted, enabled me to fully engage in the negotiation process at Bonn.‘And of course it added to the strength of the Nigerian delegation because they will ask us as Nigerian lawyers what we have to say about this or that, and we can give an opinion within the negotiation bloc that Nigeria belongs to. And now we are about to go to COP31, we will do better as we have trained lawyers, because as trained lawyers we are conversant with the processes, the COP decisions; and how to interpret text, the legal framework and how to conduct ourselves as lawyers during negotiations.’To many Nigerians, climate conferences remain distant spectacles. Every year, hundreds of delegates disappear into another exotic city, photographs flood social media, speeches are delivered, declarations are signed, and life goes on. Yet that perception misses the profound reality. The future of nations is increasingly being negotiated through climate agreements, as the twenty-first century is silently becoming the century of climate law.Related NewsUK names foreign secretary as W’Bank govLagos targets climate funding through inaugural finance clinicFour daughters, one dream: Family’s inspiring journey to the BarFrom carbon markets and green investments to energy transition, environmental justice, adaptation finance and Loss and Damage, every major climate conversation is ultimately anchored in legal commitments. Nations no longer compete only through military strength or economic power; they increasingly compete through institutional preparedness and legal sophistication. And as for climate change, which is now a central unifying topic for the entire globe, countries that arrive at these negotiations with strong legal teams are often better positioned to defend their national interests. This is where the ICEED initiative becomes strategically significant.The era when developing countries merely demanded climate justice has evolved into one where they must also demonstrate technical competence, institutional readiness and legal precision. Good intentions no longer win negotiations; preparation does.Beyond introducing participants to Nigeria’s Climate Change Act, the programme is cultivating a new generation of professionals capable of interpreting international agreements, drafting domestic regulations, advising policymakers and strengthening Nigeria’s negotiating architecture ahead of COP31. As Nigeria prepares for Antalya, our delegation will confront familiar issues: climate finance, adaptation support, operationalising carbon markets, technology transfer and ensuring that Africa’s development aspirations are not sacrificed on the altar of global emissions reduction.These debates will not be settled through emotional appeals. They will be resolved through painstaking legal negotiations. One misplaced phrase can weaken a country’s negotiating position. One carefully crafted amendment can unlock opportunities worth millions of dollars. Such is the extraordinary power of legal language in today’s climate diplomacy.The ongoing Abuja event is in good hands as the two key resource persons, Pascale Bird [Executive Director] and Monserrat Madariaga, are from Legal Response International, an organisation with a core mandate for expert advice and training of developing countries and civil society groups during international climate change talks.Meanwhile, we need to take a holistic view of climate change issues, as it presents both challenges and opportunities. The Executive Director of ICEED, Ewah Eleri, painted a compelling picture: ‘Things around climate change are evolving very fast. There seems to be a paradigm shift in how we respond to the challenges climate change has thrown to us…. We do not necessarily have to respond; we build a new economy, a new way of organising society, a new way of relating to nature – What the Chinese call ecological civilisation. It is a paradigm shift in such a way as we saw the industrial revolution. A whole civilisation, affecting how we conduct production in various industries, how we transport, provide energy, how we organise life in its entirety.‘And I think those who will succeed and those who will succeed less depend on who sees things in this totality – how do we, for instance, deliver those vital energy services that lead people out of poverty in Nigeria? How do we provide power, how do we provide cookstoves in rural areas, how do we provide new transportation modes, how do we produce food? Not necessarily how we respond to climate change, but how do we just turn around the way we deliver life on earth where economy and planet live side by side and support each other.’My view is that this new process is a strategic national investment in Nigeria’s climate diplomacy. Countries that consistently influence UN climate negotiations maintain multidisciplinary teams comprising diplomats, lawyers, economists, scientists and communications experts. Building a cadre of Nigerian climate lawyers will improve continuity in negotiations, preserve institutional memory and reduce dependence on external expertise.If the participants continue their engagement beyond this workshop and are integrated into Nigeria’s official negotiating architecture, the programme could substantially strengthen Nigeria’s legal preparedness for COP31 and future climate negotiations. It also has the potential to improve implementation of the Climate Change Act, support climate finance mobilisation and enhance the country’s credibility as a leading voice on climate governance in Africa. Yet, the most cheering aspect of this development is that the capacity-building initiative is establishing a permanent legal working group to consistently support Nigeria’s official delegations and serve as a resource for implementing the Climate Change Act.It is instructive to note that the May workshop exposed participants to the legal architecture of the UNFCCC, the Paris Agreement, carbon markets, climate finance, adaptation frameworks and negotiation procedures. More importantly, it introduced them to the reality that climate diplomacy is increasingly a legal exercise, where lawyers contribute through treaty interpretation, legal drafting, position paper development, analysis of negotiation texts, identification of legal implications of proposed decisions, and advisory support to negotiators. Accordingly, it equipped them with requisite knowledge of negotiation structures, contact groups, agenda items, drafting procedures, and consensus-building techniques commonly used within international climate negotiations.Interestingly, some of the lawyers participated in the SB64 and came back with testimonies of how their improved legal capacity honed their aptitude and efficiency in engaging the climate negotiation process.A lawyer affiliated with the National Council on Climate Change, Awele Ikobi-Anyali, said, ‘The training we underwent in May added to my efficiency at the SB64, because as a lawyer I was in tune with developments at every step. They will bring up some terms, and I remember what I was taught. It enabled me to fully understand the use of words, the essence of words, and their importance; and how to properly place them so that my country will have an advantage in negotiations. So I will say that understanding legal terms, how it is appropriated and interpreted, enabled me to fully engage in the negotiation process at Bonn.‘And of course it added to the strength of the Nigerian delegation because they will ask us as Nigerian lawyers what we have to say about this or that, and we can give an opinion within the negotiation bloc that Nigeria belongs to. And now we are about to go to COP31, we will do better as we have trained lawyers, because as trained lawyers we are conversant with the processes, the COP decisions; and how to interpret text, the legal framework and how to conduct ourselves as lawyers during negotiations.’To many Nigerians, climate conferences remain distant spectacles. Every year, hundreds of delegates disappear into another exotic city, photographs flood social media, speeches are delivered, declarations are signed, and life goes on. Yet that perception misses the profound reality. The future of nations is increasingly being negotiated through climate agreements, as the twenty-first century is silently becoming the century of climate law.Related NewsUK names foreign secretary as W’Bank govLagos targets climate funding through inaugural finance clinicFour daughters, one dream: Family’s inspiring journey to the BarFrom carbon markets and green investments to energy transition, environmental justice, adaptation finance and Loss and Damage, every major climate conversation is ultimately anchored in legal commitments. Nations no longer compete only through military strength or economic power; they increasingly compete through institutional preparedness and legal sophistication. And as for climate change, which is now a central unifying topic for the entire globe, countries that arrive at these negotiations with strong legal teams are often better positioned to defend their national interests. This is where the ICEED initiative becomes strategically significant.The era when developing countries merely demanded climate justice has evolved into one where they must also demonstrate technical competence, institutional readiness and legal precision. Good intentions no longer win negotiations; preparation does.Beyond introducing participants to Nigeria’s Climate Change Act, the programme is cultivating a new generation of professionals capable of interpreting international agreements, drafting domestic regulations, advising policymakers and strengthening Nigeria’s negotiating architecture ahead of COP31. As Nigeria prepares for Antalya, our delegation will confront familiar issues: climate finance, adaptation support, operationalising carbon markets, technology transfer and ensuring that Africa’s development aspirations are not sacrificed on the altar of global emissions reduction.These debates will not be settled through emotional appeals. They will be resolved through painstaking legal negotiations. One misplaced phrase can weaken a country’s negotiating position. One carefully crafted amendment can unlock opportunities worth millions of dollars. Such is the extraordinary power of legal language in today’s climate diplomacy.The ongoing Abuja event is in good hands as the two key resource persons, Pascale Bird [Executive Director] and Monserrat Madariaga, are from Legal Response International, an organisation with a core mandate for expert advice and training of developing countries and civil society groups during international climate change talks.Meanwhile, we need to take a holistic view of climate change issues, as it presents both challenges and opportunities. The Executive Director of ICEED, Ewah Eleri, painted a compelling picture: ‘Things around climate change are evolving very fast. There seems to be a paradigm shift in how we respond to the challenges climate change has thrown to us…. We do not necessarily have to respond; we build a new economy, a new way of organising society, a new way of relating to nature – What the Chinese call ecological civilisation. It is a paradigm shift in such a way as we saw the industrial revolution. A whole civilisation, affecting how we conduct production in various industries, how we transport, provide energy, how we organise life in its entirety.‘And I think those who will succeed and those who will succeed less depend on who sees things in this totality – how do we, for instance, deliver those vital energy services that lead people out of poverty in Nigeria? How do we provide power, how do we provide cookstoves in rural areas, how do we provide new transportation modes, how do we produce food? Not necessarily how we respond to climate change, but how do we just turn around the way we deliver life on earth where economy and planet live side by side and support each other.’My view is that this new process is a strategic national investment in Nigeria’s climate diplomacy. Countries that consistently influence UN climate negotiations maintain multidisciplinary teams comprising diplomats, lawyers, economists, scientists and communications experts. Building a cadre of Nigerian climate lawyers will improve continuity in negotiations, preserve institutional memory and reduce dependence on external expertise.If the participants continue their engagement beyond this workshop and are integrated into Nigeria’s official negotiating architecture, the programme could substantially strengthen Nigeria’s legal preparedness for COP31 and future climate negotiations. It also has the potential to improve implementation of the Climate Change Act, support climate finance mobilisation and enhance the country’s credibility as a leading voice on climate governance in Africa. It is instructive to note that the May workshop exposed participants to the legal architecture of the UNFCCC, the Paris Agreement, carbon markets, climate finance, adaptation frameworks and negotiation procedures. More importantly, it introduced them to the reality that climate diplomacy is increasingly a legal exercise, where lawyers contribute through treaty interpretation, legal drafting, position paper development, analysis of negotiation texts, identification of legal implications of proposed decisions, and advisory support to negotiators. Accordingly, it equipped them with requisite knowledge of negotiation structures, contact groups, agenda items, drafting procedures, and consensus-building techniques commonly used within international climate negotiations.Interestingly, some of the lawyers participated in the SB64 and came back with testimonies of how their improved legal capacity honed their aptitude and efficiency in engaging the climate negotiation process.A lawyer affiliated with the National Council on Climate Change, Awele Ikobi-Anyali, said, ‘The training we underwent in May added to my efficiency at the SB64, because as a lawyer I was in tune with developments at every step. They will bring up some terms, and I remember what I was taught. It enabled me to fully understand the use of words, the essence of words, and their importance; and how to properly place them so that my country will have an advantage in negotiations. So I will say that understanding legal terms, how it is appropriated and interpreted, enabled me to fully engage in the negotiation process at Bonn.‘And of course it added to the strength of the Nigerian delegation because they will ask us as Nigerian lawyers what we have to say about this or that, and we can give an opinion within the negotiation bloc that Nigeria belongs to. And now we are about to go to COP31, we will do better as we have trained lawyers, because as trained lawyers we are conversant with the processes, the COP decisions; and how to interpret text, the legal framework and how to conduct ourselves as lawyers during negotiations.’To many Nigerians, climate conferences remain distant spectacles. Every year, hundreds of delegates disappear into another exotic city, photographs flood social media, speeches are delivered, declarations are signed, and life goes on. Yet that perception misses the profound reality. The future of nations is increasingly being negotiated through climate agreements, as the twenty-first century is silently becoming the century of climate law.Related NewsUK names foreign secretary as W’Bank govLagos targets climate funding through inaugural finance clinicFour daughters, one dream: Family’s inspiring journey to the BarFrom carbon markets and green investments to energy transition, environmental justice, adaptation finance and Loss and Damage, every major climate conversation is ultimately anchored in legal commitments. Nations no longer compete only through military strength or economic power; they increasingly compete through institutional preparedness and legal sophistication. And as for climate change, which is now a central unifying topic for the entire globe, countries that arrive at these negotiations with strong legal teams are often better positioned to defend their national interests. This is where the ICEED initiative becomes strategically significant.The era when developing countries merely demanded climate justice has evolved into one where they must also demonstrate technical competence, institutional readiness and legal precision. Good intentions no longer win negotiations; preparation does.Beyond introducing participants to Nigeria’s Climate Change Act, the programme is cultivating a new generation of professionals capable of interpreting international agreements, drafting domestic regulations, advising policymakers and strengthening Nigeria’s negotiating architecture ahead of COP31. As Nigeria prepares for Antalya, our delegation will confront familiar issues: climate finance, adaptation support, operationalising carbon markets, technology transfer and ensuring that Africa’s development aspirations are not sacrificed on the altar of global emissions reduction.These debates will not be settled through emotional appeals. They will be resolved through painstaking legal negotiations. One misplaced phrase can weaken a country’s negotiating position. One carefully crafted amendment can unlock opportunities worth millions of dollars. Such is the extraordinary power of legal language in today’s climate diplomacy.The ongoing Abuja event is in good hands as the two key resource persons, Pascale Bird [Executive Director] and Monserrat Madariaga, are from Legal Response International, an organisation with a core mandate for expert advice and training of developing countries and civil society groups during international climate change talks.Meanwhile, we need to take a holistic view of climate change issues, as it presents both challenges and opportunities. The Executive Director of ICEED, Ewah Eleri, painted a compelling picture: ‘Things around climate change are evolving very fast. There seems to be a paradigm shift in how we respond to the challenges climate change has thrown to us…. We do not necessarily have to respond; we build a new economy, a new way of organising society, a new way of relating to nature – What the Chinese call ecological civilisation. It is a paradigm shift in such a way as we saw the industrial revolution. A whole civilisation, affecting how we conduct production in various industries, how we transport, provide energy, how we organise life in its entirety.‘And I think those who will succeed and those who will succeed less depend on who sees things in this totality – how do we, for instance, deliver those vital energy services that lead people out of poverty in Nigeria? How do we provide power, how do we provide cookstoves in rural areas, how do we provide new transportation modes, how do we produce food? Not necessarily how we respond to climate change, but how do we just turn around the way we deliver life on earth where economy and planet live side by side and support each other.’My view is that this new process is a strategic national investment in Nigeria’s climate diplomacy. Countries that consistently influence UN climate negotiations maintain multidisciplinary teams comprising diplomats, lawyers, economists, scientists and communications experts. Building a cadre of Nigerian climate lawyers will improve continuity in negotiations, preserve institutional memory and reduce dependence on external expertise.If the participants continue their engagement beyond this workshop and are integrated into Nigeria’s official negotiating architecture, the programme could substantially strengthen Nigeria’s legal preparedness for COP31 and future climate negotiations. It also has the potential to improve implementation of the Climate Change Act, support climate finance mobilisation and enhance the country’s credibility as a leading voice on climate governance in Africa. Interestingly, some of the lawyers participated in the SB64 and came back with testimonies of how their improved legal capacity honed their aptitude and efficiency in engaging the climate negotiation process.A lawyer affiliated with the National Council on Climate Change, Awele Ikobi-Anyali, said, ‘The training we underwent in May added to my efficiency at the SB64, because as a lawyer I was in tune with developments at every step. They will bring up some terms, and I remember what I was taught. It enabled me to fully understand the use of words, the essence of words, and their importance; and how to properly place them so that my country will have an advantage in negotiations. So I will say that understanding legal terms, how it is appropriated and interpreted, enabled me to fully engage in the negotiation process at Bonn.‘And of course it added to the strength of the Nigerian delegation because they will ask us as Nigerian lawyers what we have to say about this or that, and we can give an opinion within the negotiation bloc that Nigeria belongs to. And now we are about to go to COP31, we will do better as we have trained lawyers, because as trained lawyers we are conversant with the processes, the COP decisions; and how to interpret text, the legal framework and how to conduct ourselves as lawyers during negotiations.’To many Nigerians, climate conferences remain distant spectacles. Every year, hundreds of delegates disappear into another exotic city, photographs flood social media, speeches are delivered, declarations are signed, and life goes on. Yet that perception misses the profound reality. The future of nations is increasingly being negotiated through climate agreements, as the twenty-first century is silently becoming the century of climate law.Related NewsUK names foreign secretary as W’Bank govLagos targets climate funding through inaugural finance clinicFour daughters, one dream: Family’s inspiring journey to the BarFrom carbon markets and green investments to energy transition, environmental justice, adaptation finance and Loss and Damage, every major climate conversation is ultimately anchored in legal commitments. Nations no longer compete only through military strength or economic power; they increasingly compete through institutional preparedness and legal sophistication. And as for climate change, which is now a central unifying topic for the entire globe, countries that arrive at these negotiations with strong legal teams are often better positioned to defend their national interests. This is where the ICEED initiative becomes strategically significant.The era when developing countries merely demanded climate justice has evolved into one where they must also demonstrate technical competence, institutional readiness and legal precision. Good intentions no longer win negotiations; preparation does.Beyond introducing participants to Nigeria’s Climate Change Act, the programme is cultivating a new generation of professionals capable of interpreting international agreements, drafting domestic regulations, advising policymakers and strengthening Nigeria’s negotiating architecture ahead of COP31. As Nigeria prepares for Antalya, our delegation will confront familiar issues: climate finance, adaptation support, operationalising carbon markets, technology transfer and ensuring that Africa’s development aspirations are not sacrificed on the altar of global emissions reduction.These debates will not be settled through emotional appeals. They will be resolved through painstaking legal negotiations. One misplaced phrase can weaken a country’s negotiating position. One carefully crafted amendment can unlock opportunities worth millions of dollars. Such is the extraordinary power of legal language in today’s climate diplomacy.The ongoing Abuja event is in good hands as the two key resource persons, Pascale Bird [Executive Director] and Monserrat Madariaga, are from Legal Response International, an organisation with a core mandate for expert advice and training of developing countries and civil society groups during international climate change talks.Meanwhile, we need to take a holistic view of climate change issues, as it presents both challenges and opportunities. The Executive Director of ICEED, Ewah Eleri, painted a compelling picture: ‘Things around climate change are evolving very fast. There seems to be a paradigm shift in how we respond to the challenges climate change has thrown to us…. We do not necessarily have to respond; we build a new economy, a new way of organising society, a new way of relating to nature – What the Chinese call ecological civilisation. It is a paradigm shift in such a way as we saw the industrial revolution. A whole civilisation, affecting how we conduct production in various industries, how we transport, provide energy, how we organise life in its entirety.‘And I think those who will succeed and those who will succeed less depend on who sees things in this totality – how do we, for instance, deliver those vital energy services that lead people out of poverty in Nigeria? How do we provide power, how do we provide cookstoves in rural areas, how do we provide new transportation modes, how do we produce food? Not necessarily how we respond to climate change, but how do we just turn around the way we deliver life on earth where economy and planet live side by side and support each other.’My view is that this new process is a strategic national investment in Nigeria’s climate diplomacy. Countries that consistently influence UN climate negotiations maintain multidisciplinary teams comprising diplomats, lawyers, economists, scientists and communications experts. Building a cadre of Nigerian climate lawyers will improve continuity in negotiations, preserve institutional memory and reduce dependence on external expertise.If the participants continue their engagement beyond this workshop and are integrated into Nigeria’s official negotiating architecture, the programme could substantially strengthen Nigeria’s legal preparedness for COP31 and future climate negotiations. It also has the potential to improve implementation of the Climate Change Act, support climate finance mobilisation and enhance the country’s credibility as a leading voice on climate governance in Africa. A lawyer affiliated with the National Council on Climate Change, Awele Ikobi-Anyali, said, ‘The training we underwent in May added to my efficiency at the SB64, because as a lawyer I was in tune with developments at every step. They will bring up some terms, and I remember what I was taught. It enabled me to fully understand the use of words, the essence of words, and their importance; and how to properly place them so that my country will have an advantage in negotiations. So I will say that understanding legal terms, how it is appropriated and interpreted, enabled me to fully engage in the negotiation process at Bonn.‘And of course it added to the strength of the Nigerian delegation because they will ask us as Nigerian lawyers what we have to say about this or that, and we can give an opinion within the negotiation bloc that Nigeria belongs to. And now we are about to go to COP31, we will do better as we have trained lawyers, because as trained lawyers we are conversant with the processes, the COP decisions; and how to interpret text, the legal framework and how to conduct ourselves as lawyers during negotiations.’To many Nigerians, climate conferences remain distant spectacles. Every year, hundreds of delegates disappear into another exotic city, photographs flood social media, speeches are delivered, declarations are signed, and life goes on. Yet that perception misses the profound reality. The future of nations is increasingly being negotiated through climate agreements, as the twenty-first century is silently becoming the century of climate law.Related NewsUK names foreign secretary as W’Bank govLagos targets climate funding through inaugural finance clinicFour daughters, one dream: Family’s inspiring journey to the BarFrom carbon markets and green investments to energy transition, environmental justice, adaptation finance and Loss and Damage, every major climate conversation is ultimately anchored in legal commitments. Nations no longer compete only through military strength or economic power; they increasingly compete through institutional preparedness and legal sophistication. And as for climate change, which is now a central unifying topic for the entire globe, countries that arrive at these negotiations with strong legal teams are often better positioned to defend their national interests. This is where the ICEED initiative becomes strategically significant.The era when developing countries merely demanded climate justice has evolved into one where they must also demonstrate technical competence, institutional readiness and legal precision. Good intentions no longer win negotiations; preparation does.Beyond introducing participants to Nigeria’s Climate Change Act, the programme is cultivating a new generation of professionals capable of interpreting international agreements, drafting domestic regulations, advising policymakers and strengthening Nigeria’s negotiating architecture ahead of COP31. As Nigeria prepares for Antalya, our delegation will confront familiar issues: climate finance, adaptation support, operationalising carbon markets, technology transfer and ensuring that Africa’s development aspirations are not sacrificed on the altar of global emissions reduction.These debates will not be settled through emotional appeals. They will be resolved through painstaking legal negotiations. One misplaced phrase can weaken a country’s negotiating position. One carefully crafted amendment can unlock opportunities worth millions of dollars. Such is the extraordinary power of legal language in today’s climate diplomacy.The ongoing Abuja event is in good hands as the two key resource persons, Pascale Bird [Executive Director] and Monserrat Madariaga, are from Legal Response International, an organisation with a core mandate for expert advice and training of developing countries and civil society groups during international climate change talks.Meanwhile, we need to take a holistic view of climate change issues, as it presents both challenges and opportunities. The Executive Director of ICEED, Ewah Eleri, painted a compelling picture: ‘Things around climate change are evolving very fast. There seems to be a paradigm shift in how we respond to the challenges climate change has thrown to us…. We do not necessarily have to respond; we build a new economy, a new way of organising society, a new way of relating to nature – What the Chinese call ecological civilisation. It is a paradigm shift in such a way as we saw the industrial revolution. A whole civilisation, affecting how we conduct production in various industries, how we transport, provide energy, how we organise life in its entirety.‘And I think those who will succeed and those who will succeed less depend on who sees things in this totality – how do we, for instance, deliver those vital energy services that lead people out of poverty in Nigeria? How do we provide power, how do we provide cookstoves in rural areas, how do we provide new transportation modes, how do we produce food? Not necessarily how we respond to climate change, but how do we just turn around the way we deliver life on earth where economy and planet live side by side and support each other.’My view is that this new process is a strategic national investment in Nigeria’s climate diplomacy. Countries that consistently influence UN climate negotiations maintain multidisciplinary teams comprising diplomats, lawyers, economists, scientists and communications experts. Building a cadre of Nigerian climate lawyers will improve continuity in negotiations, preserve institutional memory and reduce dependence on external expertise.If the participants continue their engagement beyond this workshop and are integrated into Nigeria’s official negotiating architecture, the programme could substantially strengthen Nigeria’s legal preparedness for COP31 and future climate negotiations. It also has the potential to improve implementation of the Climate Change Act, support climate finance mobilisation and enhance the country’s credibility as a leading voice on climate governance in Africa. ‘And of course it added to the strength of the Nigerian delegation because they will ask us as Nigerian lawyers what we have to say about this or that, and we can give an opinion within the negotiation bloc that Nigeria belongs to. And now we are about to go to COP31, we will do better as we have trained lawyers, because as trained lawyers we are conversant with the processes, the COP decisions; and how to interpret text, the legal framework and how to conduct ourselves as lawyers during negotiations.’To many Nigerians, climate conferences remain distant spectacles. Every year, hundreds of delegates disappear into another exotic city, photographs flood social media, speeches are delivered, declarations are signed, and life goes on. Yet that perception misses the profound reality. The future of nations is increasingly being negotiated through climate agreements, as the twenty-first century is silently becoming the century of climate law.Related NewsUK names foreign secretary as W’Bank govLagos targets climate funding through inaugural finance clinicFour daughters, one dream: Family’s inspiring journey to the BarFrom carbon markets and green investments to energy transition, environmental justice, adaptation finance and Loss and Damage, every major climate conversation is ultimately anchored in legal commitments. Nations no longer compete only through military strength or economic power; they increasingly compete through institutional preparedness and legal sophistication. And as for climate change, which is now a central unifying topic for the entire globe, countries that arrive at these negotiations with strong legal teams are often better positioned to defend their national interests. This is where the ICEED initiative becomes strategically significant.The era when developing countries merely demanded climate justice has evolved into one where they must also demonstrate technical competence, institutional readiness and legal precision. Good intentions no longer win negotiations; preparation does.Beyond introducing participants to Nigeria’s Climate Change Act, the programme is cultivating a new generation of professionals capable of interpreting international agreements, drafting domestic regulations, advising policymakers and strengthening Nigeria’s negotiating architecture ahead of COP31. As Nigeria prepares for Antalya, our delegation will confront familiar issues: climate finance, adaptation support, operationalising carbon markets, technology transfer and ensuring that Africa’s development aspirations are not sacrificed on the altar of global emissions reduction.These debates will not be settled through emotional appeals. They will be resolved through painstaking legal negotiations. One misplaced phrase can weaken a country’s negotiating position. One carefully crafted amendment can unlock opportunities worth millions of dollars. Such is the extraordinary power of legal language in today’s climate diplomacy.The ongoing Abuja event is in good hands as the two key resource persons, Pascale Bird [Executive Director] and Monserrat Madariaga, are from Legal Response International, an organisation with a core mandate for expert advice and training of developing countries and civil society groups during international climate change talks.Meanwhile, we need to take a holistic view of climate change issues, as it presents both challenges and opportunities. The Executive Director of ICEED, Ewah Eleri, painted a compelling picture: ‘Things around climate change are evolving very fast. There seems to be a paradigm shift in how we respond to the challenges climate change has thrown to us…. We do not necessarily have to respond; we build a new economy, a new way of organising society, a new way of relating to nature – What the Chinese call ecological civilisation. It is a paradigm shift in such a way as we saw the industrial revolution. A whole civilisation, affecting how we conduct production in various industries, how we transport, provide energy, how we organise life in its entirety.‘And I think those who will succeed and those who will succeed less depend on who sees things in this totality – how do we, for instance, deliver those vital energy services that lead people out of poverty in Nigeria? How do we provide power, how do we provide cookstoves in rural areas, how do we provide new transportation modes, how do we produce food? Not necessarily how we respond to climate change, but how do we just turn around the way we deliver life on earth where economy and planet live side by side and support each other.’My view is that this new process is a strategic national investment in Nigeria’s climate diplomacy. Countries that consistently influence UN climate negotiations maintain multidisciplinary teams comprising diplomats, lawyers, economists, scientists and communications experts. Building a cadre of Nigerian climate lawyers will improve continuity in negotiations, preserve institutional memory and reduce dependence on external expertise.If the participants continue their engagement beyond this workshop and are integrated into Nigeria’s official negotiating architecture, the programme could substantially strengthen Nigeria’s legal preparedness for COP31 and future climate negotiations. It also has the potential to improve implementation of the Climate Change Act, support climate finance mobilisation and enhance the country’s credibility as a leading voice on climate governance in Africa. To many Nigerians, climate conferences remain distant spectacles. Every year, hundreds of delegates disappear into another exotic city, photographs flood social media, speeches are delivered, declarations are signed, and life goes on. Yet that perception misses the profound reality. The future of nations is increasingly being negotiated through climate agreements, as the twenty-first century is silently becoming the century of climate law.Related NewsUK names foreign secretary as W’Bank govLagos targets climate funding through inaugural finance clinicFour daughters, one dream: Family’s inspiring journey to the BarFrom carbon markets and green investments to energy transition, environmental justice, adaptation finance and Loss and Damage, every major climate conversation is ultimately anchored in legal commitments. Nations no longer compete only through military strength or economic power; they increasingly compete through institutional preparedness and legal sophistication. And as for climate change, which is now a central unifying topic for the entire globe, countries that arrive at these negotiations with strong legal teams are often better positioned to defend their national interests. This is where the ICEED initiative becomes strategically significant.The era when developing countries merely demanded climate justice has evolved into one where they must also demonstrate technical competence, institutional readiness and legal precision. Good intentions no longer win negotiations; preparation does.Beyond introducing participants to Nigeria’s Climate Change Act, the programme is cultivating a new generation of professionals capable of interpreting international agreements, drafting domestic regulations, advising policymakers and strengthening Nigeria’s negotiating architecture ahead of COP31. As Nigeria prepares for Antalya, our delegation will confront familiar issues: climate finance, adaptation support, operationalising carbon markets, technology transfer and ensuring that Africa’s development aspirations are not sacrificed on the altar of global emissions reduction.These debates will not be settled through emotional appeals. They will be resolved through painstaking legal negotiations. One misplaced phrase can weaken a country’s negotiating position. One carefully crafted amendment can unlock opportunities worth millions of dollars. Such is the extraordinary power of legal language in today’s climate diplomacy.The ongoing Abuja event is in good hands as the two key resource persons, Pascale Bird [Executive Director] and Monserrat Madariaga, are from Legal Response International, an organisation with a core mandate for expert advice and training of developing countries and civil society groups during international climate change talks.Meanwhile, we need to take a holistic view of climate change issues, as it presents both challenges and opportunities. The Executive Director of ICEED, Ewah Eleri, painted a compelling picture: ‘Things around climate change are evolving very fast. There seems to be a paradigm shift in how we respond to the challenges climate change has thrown to us…. We do not necessarily have to respond; we build a new economy, a new way of organising society, a new way of relating to nature – What the Chinese call ecological civilisation. It is a paradigm shift in such a way as we saw the industrial revolution. A whole civilisation, affecting how we conduct production in various industries, how we transport, provide energy, how we organise life in its entirety.‘And I think those who will succeed and those who will succeed less depend on who sees things in this totality – how do we, for instance, deliver those vital energy services that lead people out of poverty in Nigeria? How do we provide power, how do we provide cookstoves in rural areas, how do we provide new transportation modes, how do we produce food? Not necessarily how we respond to climate change, but how do we just turn around the way we deliver life on earth where economy and planet live side by side and support each other.’My view is that this new process is a strategic national investment in Nigeria’s climate diplomacy. Countries that consistently influence UN climate negotiations maintain multidisciplinary teams comprising diplomats, lawyers, economists, scientists and communications experts. Building a cadre of Nigerian climate lawyers will improve continuity in negotiations, preserve institutional memory and reduce dependence on external expertise.If the participants continue their engagement beyond this workshop and are integrated into Nigeria’s official negotiating architecture, the programme could substantially strengthen Nigeria’s legal preparedness for COP31 and future climate negotiations. It also has the potential to improve implementation of the Climate Change Act, support climate finance mobilisation and enhance the country’s credibility as a leading voice on climate governance in Africa. From carbon markets and green investments to energy transition, environmental justice, adaptation finance and Loss and Damage, every major climate conversation is ultimately anchored in legal commitments. Nations no longer compete only through military strength or economic power; they increasingly compete through institutional preparedness and legal sophistication. And as for climate change, which is now a central unifying topic for the entire globe, countries that arrive at these negotiations with strong legal teams are often better positioned to defend their national interests. This is where the ICEED initiative becomes strategically significant.The era when developing countries merely demanded climate justice has evolved into one where they must also demonstrate technical competence, institutional readiness and legal precision. Good intentions no longer win negotiations; preparation does.Beyond introducing participants to Nigeria’s Climate Change Act, the programme is cultivating a new generation of professionals capable of interpreting international agreements, drafting domestic regulations, advising policymakers and strengthening Nigeria’s negotiating architecture ahead of COP31. As Nigeria prepares for Antalya, our delegation will confront familiar issues: climate finance, adaptation support, operationalising carbon markets, technology transfer and ensuring that Africa’s development aspirations are not sacrificed on the altar of global emissions reduction.These debates will not be settled through emotional appeals. They will be resolved through painstaking legal negotiations. One misplaced phrase can weaken a country’s negotiating position. One carefully crafted amendment can unlock opportunities worth millions of dollars. Such is the extraordinary power of legal language in today’s climate diplomacy.The ongoing Abuja event is in good hands as the two key resource persons, Pascale Bird [Executive Director] and Monserrat Madariaga, are from Legal Response International, an organisation with a core mandate for expert advice and training of developing countries and civil society groups during international climate change talks.Meanwhile, we need to take a holistic view of climate change issues, as it presents both challenges and opportunities. The Executive Director of ICEED, Ewah Eleri, painted a compelling picture: ‘Things around climate change are evolving very fast. There seems to be a paradigm shift in how we respond to the challenges climate change has thrown to us…. We do not necessarily have to respond; we build a new economy, a new way of organising society, a new way of relating to nature – What the Chinese call ecological civilisation. It is a paradigm shift in such a way as we saw the industrial revolution. A whole civilisation, affecting how we conduct production in various industries, how we transport, provide energy, how we organise life in its entirety.‘And I think those who will succeed and those who will succeed less depend on who sees things in this totality – how do we, for instance, deliver those vital energy services that lead people out of poverty in Nigeria? How do we provide power, how do we provide cookstoves in rural areas, how do we provide new transportation modes, how do we produce food? Not necessarily how we respond to climate change, but how do we just turn around the way we deliver life on earth where economy and planet live side by side and support each other.’My view is that this new process is a strategic national investment in Nigeria’s climate diplomacy. Countries that consistently influence UN climate negotiations maintain multidisciplinary teams comprising diplomats, lawyers, economists, scientists and communications experts. Building a cadre of Nigerian climate lawyers will improve continuity in negotiations, preserve institutional memory and reduce dependence on external expertise.If the participants continue their engagement beyond this workshop and are integrated into Nigeria’s official negotiating architecture, the programme could substantially strengthen Nigeria’s legal preparedness for COP31 and future climate negotiations. It also has the potential to improve implementation of the Climate Change Act, support climate finance mobilisation and enhance the country’s credibility as a leading voice on climate governance in Africa. The era when developing countries merely demanded climate justice has evolved into one where they must also demonstrate technical competence, institutional readiness and legal precision. Good intentions no longer win negotiations; preparation does.Beyond introducing participants to Nigeria’s Climate Change Act, the programme is cultivating a new generation of professionals capable of interpreting international agreements, drafting domestic regulations, advising policymakers and strengthening Nigeria’s negotiating architecture ahead of COP31. As Nigeria prepares for Antalya, our delegation will confront familiar issues: climate finance, adaptation support, operationalising carbon markets, technology transfer and ensuring that Africa’s development aspirations are not sacrificed on the altar of global emissions reduction.These debates will not be settled through emotional appeals. They will be resolved through painstaking legal negotiations. One misplaced phrase can weaken a country’s negotiating position. One carefully crafted amendment can unlock opportunities worth millions of dollars. Such is the extraordinary power of legal language in today’s climate diplomacy.The ongoing Abuja event is in good hands as the two key resource persons, Pascale Bird [Executive Director] and Monserrat Madariaga, are from Legal Response International, an organisation with a core mandate for expert advice and training of developing countries and civil society groups during international climate change talks.Meanwhile, we need to take a holistic view of climate change issues, as it presents both challenges and opportunities. The Executive Director of ICEED, Ewah Eleri, painted a compelling picture: ‘Things around climate change are evolving very fast. There seems to be a paradigm shift in how we respond to the challenges climate change has thrown to us…. We do not necessarily have to respond; we build a new economy, a new way of organising society, a new way of relating to nature – What the Chinese call ecological civilisation. It is a paradigm shift in such a way as we saw the industrial revolution. A whole civilisation, affecting how we conduct production in various industries, how we transport, provide energy, how we organise life in its entirety.‘And I think those who will succeed and those who will succeed less depend on who sees things in this totality – how do we, for instance, deliver those vital energy services that lead people out of poverty in Nigeria? How do we provide power, how do we provide cookstoves in rural areas, how do we provide new transportation modes, how do we produce food? Not necessarily how we respond to climate change, but how do we just turn around the way we deliver life on earth where economy and planet live side by side and support each other.’My view is that this new process is a strategic national investment in Nigeria’s climate diplomacy. Countries that consistently influence UN climate negotiations maintain multidisciplinary teams comprising diplomats, lawyers, economists, scientists and communications experts. Building a cadre of Nigerian climate lawyers will improve continuity in negotiations, preserve institutional memory and reduce dependence on external expertise.If the participants continue their engagement beyond this workshop and are integrated into Nigeria’s official negotiating architecture, the programme could substantially strengthen Nigeria’s legal preparedness for COP31 and future climate negotiations. It also has the potential to improve implementation of the Climate Change Act, support climate finance mobilisation and enhance the country’s credibility as a leading voice on climate governance in Africa. Beyond introducing participants to Nigeria’s Climate Change Act, the programme is cultivating a new generation of professionals capable of interpreting international agreements, drafting domestic regulations, advising policymakers and strengthening Nigeria’s negotiating architecture ahead of COP31. As Nigeria prepares for Antalya, our delegation will confront familiar issues: climate finance, adaptation support, operationalising carbon markets, technology transfer and ensuring that Africa’s development aspirations are not sacrificed on the altar of global emissions reduction.These debates will not be settled through emotional appeals. They will be resolved through painstaking legal negotiations. One misplaced phrase can weaken a country’s negotiating position. One carefully crafted amendment can unlock opportunities worth millions of dollars. Such is the extraordinary power of legal language in today’s climate diplomacy.The ongoing Abuja event is in good hands as the two key resource persons, Pascale Bird [Executive Director] and Monserrat Madariaga, are from Legal Response International, an organisation with a core mandate for expert advice and training of developing countries and civil society groups during international climate change talks.Meanwhile, we need to take a holistic view of climate change issues, as it presents both challenges and opportunities. The Executive Director of ICEED, Ewah Eleri, painted a compelling picture: ‘Things around climate change are evolving very fast. There seems to be a paradigm shift in how we respond to the challenges climate change has thrown to us…. We do not necessarily have to respond; we build a new economy, a new way of organising society, a new way of relating to nature – What the Chinese call ecological civilisation. It is a paradigm shift in such a way as we saw the industrial revolution. A whole civilisation, affecting how we conduct production in various industries, how we transport, provide energy, how we organise life in its entirety.‘And I think those who will succeed and those who will succeed less depend on who sees things in this totality – how do we, for instance, deliver those vital energy services that lead people out of poverty in Nigeria? How do we provide power, how do we provide cookstoves in rural areas, how do we provide new transportation modes, how do we produce food? Not necessarily how we respond to climate change, but how do we just turn around the way we deliver life on earth where economy and planet live side by side and support each other.’My view is that this new process is a strategic national investment in Nigeria’s climate diplomacy. Countries that consistently influence UN climate negotiations maintain multidisciplinary teams comprising diplomats, lawyers, economists, scientists and communications experts. Building a cadre of Nigerian climate lawyers will improve continuity in negotiations, preserve institutional memory and reduce dependence on external expertise.If the participants continue their engagement beyond this workshop and are integrated into Nigeria’s official negotiating architecture, the programme could substantially strengthen Nigeria’s legal preparedness for COP31 and future climate negotiations. It also has the potential to improve implementation of the Climate Change Act, support climate finance mobilisation and enhance the country’s credibility as a leading voice on climate governance in Africa. These debates will not be settled through emotional appeals. They will be resolved through painstaking legal negotiations. One misplaced phrase can weaken a country’s negotiating position. One carefully crafted amendment can unlock opportunities worth millions of dollars. Such is the extraordinary power of legal language in today’s climate diplomacy.The ongoing Abuja event is in good hands as the two key resource persons, Pascale Bird [Executive Director] and Monserrat Madariaga, are from Legal Response International, an organisation with a core mandate for expert advice and training of developing countries and civil society groups during international climate change talks.Meanwhile, we need to take a holistic view of climate change issues, as it presents both challenges and opportunities. The Executive Director of ICEED, Ewah Eleri, painted a compelling picture: ‘Things around climate change are evolving very fast. There seems to be a paradigm shift in how we respond to the challenges climate change has thrown to us…. We do not necessarily have to respond; we build a new economy, a new way of organising society, a new way of relating to nature – What the Chinese call ecological civilisation. It is a paradigm shift in such a way as we saw the industrial revolution. A whole civilisation, affecting how we conduct production in various industries, how we transport, provide energy, how we organise life in its entirety.‘And I think those who will succeed and those who will succeed less depend on who sees things in this totality – how do we, for instance, deliver those vital energy services that lead people out of poverty in Nigeria? How do we provide power, how do we provide cookstoves in rural areas, how do we provide new transportation modes, how do we produce food? Not necessarily how we respond to climate change, but how do we just turn around the way we deliver life on earth where economy and planet live side by side and support each other.’My view is that this new process is a strategic national investment in Nigeria’s climate diplomacy. Countries that consistently influence UN climate negotiations maintain multidisciplinary teams comprising diplomats, lawyers, economists, scientists and communications experts. Building a cadre of Nigerian climate lawyers will improve continuity in negotiations, preserve institutional memory and reduce dependence on external expertise.If the participants continue their engagement beyond this workshop and are integrated into Nigeria’s official negotiating architecture, the programme could substantially strengthen Nigeria’s legal preparedness for COP31 and future climate negotiations. It also has the potential to improve implementation of the Climate Change Act, support climate finance mobilisation and enhance the country’s credibility as a leading voice on climate governance in Africa. The ongoing Abuja event is in good hands as the two key resource persons, Pascale Bird [Executive Director] and Monserrat Madariaga, are from Legal Response International, an organisation with a core mandate for expert advice and training of developing countries and civil society groups during international climate change talks.Meanwhile, we need to take a holistic view of climate change issues, as it presents both challenges and opportunities. The Executive Director of ICEED, Ewah Eleri, painted a compelling picture: ‘Things around climate change are evolving very fast. There seems to be a paradigm shift in how we respond to the challenges climate change has thrown to us…. We do not necessarily have to respond; we build a new economy, a new way of organising society, a new way of relating to nature – What the Chinese call ecological civilisation. It is a paradigm shift in such a way as we saw the industrial revolution. A whole civilisation, affecting how we conduct production in various industries, how we transport, provide energy, how we organise life in its entirety.‘And I think those who will succeed and those who will succeed less depend on who sees things in this totality – how do we, for instance, deliver those vital energy services that lead people out of poverty in Nigeria? How do we provide power, how do we provide cookstoves in rural areas, how do we provide new transportation modes, how do we produce food? Not necessarily how we respond to climate change, but how do we just turn around the way we deliver life on earth where economy and planet live side by side and support each other.’My view is that this new process is a strategic national investment in Nigeria’s climate diplomacy. Countries that consistently influence UN climate negotiations maintain multidisciplinary teams comprising diplomats, lawyers, economists, scientists and communications experts. Building a cadre of Nigerian climate lawyers will improve continuity in negotiations, preserve institutional memory and reduce dependence on external expertise.If the participants continue their engagement beyond this workshop and are integrated into Nigeria’s official negotiating architecture, the programme could substantially strengthen Nigeria’s legal preparedness for COP31 and future climate negotiations. It also has the potential to improve implementation of the Climate Change Act, support climate finance mobilisation and enhance the country’s credibility as a leading voice on climate governance in Africa. Meanwhile, we need to take a holistic view of climate change issues, as it presents both challenges and opportunities. The Executive Director of ICEED, Ewah Eleri, painted a compelling picture: ‘Things around climate change are evolving very fast. There seems to be a paradigm shift in how we respond to the challenges climate change has thrown to us…. We do not necessarily have to respond; we build a new economy, a new way of organising society, a new way of relating to nature – What the Chinese call ecological civilisation. It is a paradigm shift in such a way as we saw the industrial revolution. A whole civilisation, affecting how we conduct production in various industries, how we transport, provide energy, how we organise life in its entirety.‘And I think those who will succeed and those who will succeed less depend on who sees things in this totality – how do we, for instance, deliver those vital energy services that lead people out of poverty in Nigeria? How do we provide power, how do we provide cookstoves in rural areas, how do we provide new transportation modes, how do we produce food? Not necessarily how we respond to climate change, but how do we just turn around the way we deliver life on earth where economy and planet live side by side and support each other.’My view is that this new process is a strategic national investment in Nigeria’s climate diplomacy. Countries that consistently influence UN climate negotiations maintain multidisciplinary teams comprising diplomats, lawyers, economists, scientists and communications experts. Building a cadre of Nigerian climate lawyers will improve continuity in negotiations, preserve institutional memory and reduce dependence on external expertise.If the participants continue their engagement beyond this workshop and are integrated into Nigeria’s official negotiating architecture, the programme could substantially strengthen Nigeria’s legal preparedness for COP31 and future climate negotiations. It also has the potential to improve implementation of the Climate Change Act, support climate finance mobilisation and enhance the country’s credibility as a leading voice on climate governance in Africa. ‘And I think those who will succeed and those who will succeed less depend on who sees things in this totality – how do we, for instance, deliver those vital energy services that lead people out of poverty in Nigeria? How do we provide power, how do we provide cookstoves in rural areas, how do we provide new transportation modes, how do we produce food? Not necessarily how we respond to climate change, but how do we just turn around the way we deliver life on earth where economy and planet live side by side and support each other.’My view is that this new process is a strategic national investment in Nigeria’s climate diplomacy. Countries that consistently influence UN climate negotiations maintain multidisciplinary teams comprising diplomats, lawyers, economists, scientists and communications experts. Building a cadre of Nigerian climate lawyers will improve continuity in negotiations, preserve institutional memory and reduce dependence on external expertise.If the participants continue their engagement beyond this workshop and are integrated into Nigeria’s official negotiating architecture, the programme could substantially strengthen Nigeria’s legal preparedness for COP31 and future climate negotiations. It also has the potential to improve implementation of the Climate Change Act, support climate finance mobilisation and enhance the country’s credibility as a leading voice on climate governance in Africa. My view is that this new process is a strategic national investment in Nigeria’s climate diplomacy. Countries that consistently influence UN climate negotiations maintain multidisciplinary teams comprising diplomats, lawyers, economists, scientists and communications experts. Building a cadre of Nigerian climate lawyers will improve continuity in negotiations, preserve institutional memory and reduce dependence on external expertise.If the participants continue their engagement beyond this workshop and are integrated into Nigeria’s official negotiating architecture, the programme could substantially strengthen Nigeria’s legal preparedness for COP31 and future climate negotiations. It also has the potential to improve implementation of the Climate Change Act, support climate finance mobilisation and enhance the country’s credibility as a leading voice on climate governance in Africa. If the participants continue their engagement beyond this workshop and are integrated into Nigeria’s official negotiating architecture, the programme could substantially strengthen Nigeria’s legal preparedness for COP31 and future climate negotiations. It also has the potential to improve implementation of the Climate Change Act, support climate finance mobilisation and enhance the country’s credibility as a leading voice on climate governance in Africa.