Vice President Kashim Shettima has departed Belém, Brazil, for Abuja after a successful diplomatic engagement where he represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the 30th Session of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30).

The two-day conference, convened by Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in collaboration with the United Nations and other global partners, was held from November 6 to 7 in the city of Belém, capital of the state of Pará, located in the Brazilian Amazon.

During the international engagement, Vice President Shettima joined other world leaders, development partners, and business executives at the Leaders’ Climate Summit – COP30, where he delivered a speech on Nigeria’s renewed efforts to combat climate change. He emphasized that the nation’s climate agenda represents “not just an aspiration, but a solemn national commitment to preserve the planet for future generations.”

The Vice President also represented President Tinubu at a high-level thematic session titled “Climate and Nature: Forests and Oceans,” held on the margins of COP30, where he presented Nigeria’s bold national statement.

In his address, titled “The Rational Soul of Nature,” Shettima called on global partners to recognise the economic value of nature and to channel significant finance towards protecting and restoring the environment through predictable, equitable, and accessible funding mechanisms.

Nigeria, he reaffirmed, remains determined to use its influence and leadership position to drive solutions to climate change challenges across Africa and beyond.

The Vice President’s participation at COP30 underscores the Tinubu administration’s commitment to advancing sustainable development, environmental stewardship, and international cooperation on climate action.