Cross River State has commenced the development of its first Climate Transition Plan, a strategic initiative designed to strengthen environmental protection, improve resilience to climate change and promote sustainable economic growth.
Governor Bassey Edet Otu, represented by the Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Elvert Ayambem, formally launched the process on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, during an inaugural workshop held at the State Library in Calabar.
The governor described climate change as a pressing environmental, economic and developmental concern that requires collective action from government institutions, private sector operators and local communities.
Otu, who chairs the Cross River State Council on Climate Change, said the initiative was consistent with his administration's People First agenda and would establish a framework for tackling unpredictable weather conditions, disruptions to agricultural cycles and environmental displacement.
He highlighted Cross River's importance to Nigeria's conservation efforts, noting the state's rich biodiversity, mangrove ecosystems and extensive tropical rainforest resources, which require deliberate and sustained protection.
According to the governor, the development of the plan would commence with four baseline assessments across the state's 18 local government areas. The studies will examine greenhouse gas emissions, climate risks and vulnerabilities, climate finance, and mitigation strategies to provide reliable data for informed policy decisions.
Otu expressed appreciation to Future Funds, the Under2 Coalition and the Climate Group for providing seed funding to support the assessments. He also acknowledged the contributions of the Food and Agriculture Organization and the United Nations Development Programme to environmental conservation, agricultural development and green growth initiatives in the state.
The governor called on heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies, local government chairmen, civil society organisations, community representatives and private sector stakeholders to actively participate in the process.
He stressed that the success of the initiative would depend on credible data, broad stakeholder participation and effective implementation, urging financial institutions and private investors to explore green financing, green bonds and sustainable business models that could accelerate Cross River's transition to a green economy.
Otu further disclosed that the workshop would review and finalise the first order drafts of the Cross River State Climate Change Policy and Action Plan and the Green Economy Policy and Action Plan.
He urged participants to develop a practical, inclusive and evidence based framework capable of protecting the state's natural resources, safeguarding livelihoods and creating new economic opportunities.
Earlier, the Director General of the Cross River State Council on Climate Change, Dr. Edu Effiom, commended the governor for establishing the council and providing the leadership required to strengthen climate governance.
Effiom explained that the workshop would set the process for developing the Climate Transition Plan, reviewing its initial draft and commencing baseline studies across the state's 18 local government areas.
She emphasised the importance of contributions from government agencies and local government chairmen, noting that their sector specific data and technical input would help determine the plan's targets, projections and policy priorities.
The council's Director General also stressed that climate action must be incorporated into government budgets and local development plans to ensure that policy commitments translate into measurable results.
She reaffirmed the council's commitment to coordinating the technical and institutional support needed to advance the initiative.
In a goodwill message, the Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Cross River State Planning Commission, Dr. Bong Duke, described the initiative as an important step towards strengthening the state's long term socioeconomic resilience.
Duke noted that the Climate Transition Plan should extend beyond environmental protection to become a central component of the state's economic development strategy, with climate adaptation and mitigation integrated into infrastructure planning, budgeting and sectoral policies.
He pledged the commission's cooperation with the State Council on Climate Change to ensure that relevant technical data, economic targets and policy recommendations emerging from the process are incorporated into the state's medium and long term development plans.
The commission also called for active contributions from development partners, civil society organisations, financial institutions and private sector operators to ensure that the resulting climate framework is inclusive, practical and financially sustainable.
The initiative is expected to provide Cross River State with a coordinated policy direction for addressing climate risks while strengthening environmental conservation and identifying opportunities for sustainable economic development.
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