Blog Details

In Gombe State, environmental advocacy is reaching a critical juncture as Green Climate Support (GCS) Bridge the gap between policy and grassroots action. By engaging both the Executive Government and the Traditional Institutions, GCS leverages a "top-down and bottom-up" strategy to tackle the state's unique climate challenges, such as desertification, gully erosion, and land degradation.

A key goal of these visits is to facilitate pathways for the state to access international climate funds (such as the Green Climate Fund) by improving transparency and project reporting standards.

Engagement with Traditional Institutions

In Gombe, traditional rulers—from the Emir of Gombe to District and Village Heads—are the primary custodians of the land. GCS recognizes that without their blessing, environmental conservation efforts often fail. Community Mobilization: Advocacy visits to palaces are designed to enlist royal fathers as "Climate Ambassadors." When an Emir speaks on the dangers of indiscriminate tree felling, the message carries significant cultural weight. Conflict Resolution: GCS works with traditional leaders to mitigate climate-induced conflicts, particularly between farmers and herders over dwindling water resources and grazing routes. Nurturing Culture: Beyond just planting trees, GCS advocates for a "nurturing culture" where traditional heads oversee the survival of seedlings within their domains, ensuring high survival rates for reforestation and afforestation projects.

Impact and Key Focus Areas

The synergy created by these visits allows GCS to operate as a vital intermediary, ensuring that government directives are culturally sensitive and that community needs are reflected in government policy. Note: Gombe State has recently been ranked as a top performer in Nigeria for climate governance. The active participation of NGOs like GCS in monitoring and advocacy has been cited as a contributing factor to this success.