Discussions at COP27 are anticipated to center on the role of climate finance, adaptation and implementation. The highest-ranking entity for making decisions under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is the Conference of the Parties, or COP (UNFCCC). Every year for two weeks, this group of member nations, also known as Parties, gathers to discuss the global issue of climate change.

Let's look at a few of the Conference of Parties (COP) milestones thus far.

Signatory nations  met in Berlin in 1995 for the COP 1 and agreed to get together every year to keep global warming under control and recognize the need to cut back on damaging gas emissions.

COP3, Kyoto, 1997 -The Kyoto Protocol, which aims to lower greenhouse gas emissions in industrialized nations, was adopted at this meeting. Additionally, it laid the groundwork for the carbon market, which aims to reduce carbon emissions by establishing emission caps and allowing for the trading of emission units. By pledging industrialized nations and economies in transition to set and achieve individual carbon reduction targets, the Kyoto Protocol operationalizes the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Convention only requires such nations to develop mitigation-related policies and procedures and to report on a regular basis.

Bali, 2007, COP13 The Bali Roadmap, which covers all nations, was set to  replace the Kyoto Protocol. The Bali Roadmap establishes a schedule for talks on a replacement for the Kyoto Protocol that will involve all nations, not just industrialized ones.The Bali Action Plan, a new negotiation method intended to address climate change, is a component of the Bali Road Map. The Bali Action Plan is a thorough procedure that makes it possible to implement the Convention fully, effectively, and continuously through sustained joint action. The term "shared vision" refers to a long-term plan for combating climate change, which includes a long-term objective for reducing emissions.

Copenhagen 2009, COP15 The goal of limiting global warming to 2 oC is confirmed, and wealthier nations agree to provide developing nations with long-term financing. Richer nations also promise to provide $100 billion annually between 2020 and 2025 to finance underdeveloped countries on a long-term basis.

The Cancun Agreements, adopted at COP16 in 2010, formalize earlier commitments made in Copenhagen. Additionally, the Green Climate Fund was started. The Green Climate Fund (GCF), the largest climate fund in the world and a crucial component of the historic Paris Agreement, was established to assist developing nations in achieving their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) goals of adopting low-emission, climate-resilient pathways.

COP17, 2011; Durban. As part of a global effort to contain the detrimental consequences of anthropogenic climate change, COP 17 aimed to establish a firm set of commitments among participating nations to reduce country-level carbon emissions and to agree to the mechanisms that were required to accomplish carbon emission reductions. All nations, including the US, Brazil, China, India, and South Africa, agree to begin decreasing emissions. A global pact was unveiled and will take effect in 2020.

It is voted to prolong the Kyoto Protocol until 2020 during COP18 in Doha, Qatar, in 2012. The US, China, Russia, and Canada were among the nations that opposed the extension. The passage of a Kyoto Protocol amendment establishing a second round of enforceable greenhouse gas emission targets for Europe, Australia, and a select number of other industrialized countries was the conference's most important accomplishment.

For the first time all nations concur to establish and communicate their commitment to lowering greenhouse gas emissions at COP20 in Lima, 2014.

The Paris Agreement, which was enacted at COP21 in 2015, aimed to reduce global temperature increases to 1.5 degrees Celsius and below.

COP 22, Marrakech 2016: Three documents were produced at this year's COP, which coincided with the entry into force of the Paris Agreement. The Marrakesh Action Proclamation, which was issued in the midst of a White House transition, was the first. The Marrakesh Partnership, a new decision-making organization for the Paris Agreement made up of the group of nations that have ratified and signed the Paris Agreement, came in second to strengthen climate cooperation before 2020, while the first meeting of the CMA came in third.

COP23, Bonn, 2017: With the goal of finalizing the Paris Agreement in 2018, progress was made at this Climate Summit on the Paris Rulebook, which describes how the Paris Agreement would operate in practice. Additionally, in order to help countries accomplish the goals of the Agreement, facilitative dialogues, also referred to as the Talanoa Dialogue, were developed. To encourage local and indigenous groups' engagement and communication, the Talanoa Dialogue Platform was established. To ensure women's participation in climate change decision-making, a Gender Action Plan was adopted.

A little more than two months before the COP24 summit in Katowice, Poland, the IPCC released a study evaluating the effects of a 1.5°C global temperature increase. This research helped to focus discussion on the need for more urgency in cutting polluting emissions. Even though this was mentioned, it was not regarded in the writings as a directive for action. The Talanoa Dialogue came to an end, and the next stage was to examine the 2020 climate plans in order to bring them into line with the predetermined goal of reducing global warming. Finally, one of the negotiation's most crucial articles, Article 6, which permits the creation of carbon markets, remains unresolved.

COP27 is taking place in Africa, it is anticipated that discussions will center on the role of climate finance, adaptation ambition, and implementation, as well as how to deal with what negotiators refer to as "loss and damage." Loss and damage relate to the effects of the climate catastrophe that are more than what people can cope with or when there are solutions available but a community lacks the resources to take advantage of them. Examples include hurricane damage, drought damage, or long-term harm from increasing sea levels or river drying.

The conference of parties has decided on certain crucial climate change issues. Although it is challenging to persuade all nations to agree on a certain course of action, the conference of parties has managed to do so on a few instances, which will be to our mutual advantage.

Taiwan, a developed nation, faces the same problems as other developed nations. Since cities are where the bulk of Taiwan's population resides, rapid urbanization is becoming increasingly linked to environmental and transportation issues.

Nigeria, like most countries in Africa and across the globe, is going through the devastating effects of flood. A combination of heavy rains and the impact of climate change that is receiving lip service, makes flood control and management a perennial challenge.

However, with each passing year, the impact of the flooding keeps getting worse. And what’s more worrisome is the inadequate attention being paid to it. As of September, the raging floods had claimed many lives and properties despite warnings.

In Nigeria, heavy rains combined with dam releases has caused further flooding, affecting communities in at least 18 states since the start of September.

The release of water from Kiri and Lagdo dams in Cameroon has resulted in flooding in communities along the river banks of around 12 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Taraba and Adamawa States. In all of these places locals have been displaced; and farmland and houses submerged.

The same is the case with the release of dam waters from the Kainji and Shiroro dams in Nigeria's Niger state.

Assessments carried out on 19 September 2022 revealed 3,274 people were affected while about 1,213 houses were destroyed. Farmlands are also known to be submerged while their sources of livelihood were also destroyed. This is now certainly a common sight across many states in Nigeria.

The floods continue to ravage with no end in sight. Kogi State and especially its riverine areas are hard hit, and residents whose major source of livelihood is rice farming continue to lament their losses as over 600 hectares of rice farmland are submerged in water.

Exactly ten years (2012) after a massive flood submerged several communities in Kogi State, the waters have returned to wreak more havoc. The flood has sacked people from their houses and destroyed invaluable properties including crops and farmlands.

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The most affected communities are in Lokoja, Bassa, Koton-karfe, Ajaokuta, Ibaji, Ofu and Idah Local Government Areas. Where victims of the flood count their losses.

Without doubts, there should be a permanent solution sought at least to the levels at which humans and governments can.

From the assessment conducted, the following could readily be options to explore.

• Flooding can be prevented by building canals and more dams across the Niger or Benue; and other major rivers.

• Dredging of river beds to allow for greater depth across the river course.

• Levees and dykes should be built around rivers to obstruct the flow of river water into lowlands.

• More trees should be planted in flood prone areas to serve as natural barriers.

• Governments can also explore measures at harvesting rainwater for other uses.

• Legislation and enforcement of laws that make disposal of refuse and dirt indiscriminately an infringement of law that attracts fines or jail terms.

Exploring the above could be to a large extent readily implementable measures to stem the tide of frequent floodings. However, governments must recognise the greater threat of climate change and must rise up to the occasion by ratifying and implementing agreements, policies and local strategies that would to more concrete extents save our cities, states and nation; and maybe mother earth.

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