The Women In Energy Oil & Gas (WEOG), a leading organisation promoting women’s participation in the energy sector, has officially declared September 3 as World Decarbonization Day.
As part of their Decarbonization Initiative, WEOG also plans to host a summit on this day to explore the pivotal role of women in advancing decarbonization and sustainability efforts in the energy industry.
The summit, themed “Building Sustainable Futures: Leveraging Strategic Energy Mix”, will bring together industry leaders, policymakers, and women professionals to discuss strategies for transitioning to cleaner energy sources and reducing carbon emissions.
The national president of WEOG in Nigeria and CEO of Blackgold Energy Authorities Oladunni Owo, made this known during the Decarbonization Initiative Press Conference on Tuesday in Abuja.
WEOG has also set an ambitious target of planting 10 million special trees as part of their commitment to environmental conservation and climate action.
“We believe that women have a crucial role to play in driving the energy transition and creating a more sustainable future,” Owo said. “Through this summit and our Decarbonization Initiative, we aim to empower women to take the lead in shaping the energy landscape of tomorrow.”
The event will feature panel discussions, workshops, and networking opportunities, providing a platform for women to share their expertise, collaborate, and inspire change within the industry. WEOG’s Decarbonization Day is part of a broader effort to promote gender diversity, sustainability, and innovation in the energy sector.
WEOG is a forum created to promote gender diversity and inclusion in the male-dominated energy, oil, and gas industry in Nigeria.
Speaking on the theme “Collaboration, Innovation, and Action for a Low Carbon Oil & Gas Industry,” Owo noted that despite advancements in human investments and industrialization, there is more carbon in the atmosphere than is sustainable for human life.
She said, “Suddenly, we started hearing words like the depletion of the ozone layer, global warming, and carbon pollution and emissions.”
She explained that decarbonisation is a process where carbon can be converted, stored, captured, and sequestered, keeping it within the oil well or underground so it does not escape into the atmosphere.
“With decarbonisation, our energy oil and gas resources can still be very useful. Our research also showed that oil and gas are not just about fuels (petrol, diesel, DPK, and other forms of fuels).
“Oil and gas are also about fertilisers, polyester, rubber, petrochemicals, and several other products that are not necessarily fuel.”
She further stated that the decarbonisation agenda of WEOG focuses on making the exploration and production of oil and gas clean to minimise environmental impact.
Owo said, “The solution is decarbonisation, and currently, ongoing research on how this can be achieved shows that the simplest and most achievable method is tree planting.
“These activities can be carried out by everyone, including the high and mighty.”
Owo emphasised that in Africa and Nigeria, there is a significant energy gap, so a diverse range of energy resources, including solar, wind, hydrogen, nuclear, and gas, is needed to close these gaps.
This is why WEOG is initiating the concept of bringing decarbonisation to the forefront.
“We want to elevate this to another level and let it become another Conference of the Parties (COP), spreading from Nigeria to other parts of the world,” Owo said.
Regarding World Decarbonisation Day, Owo stated that WEOG initially picked June 24, 2024, but due to interest from various groups, including international bodies, an unveiling was done in Houston, Texas, during the recently concluded OTC.
Following this, the President of Nigeria also showed interest, leading to the selection of September 3, 2024, as the official date.
President Bola Tinubu is expected to make the main declaration, and September has been declared Decarbonisation Month, with Decarbonisation Week from September 3 to 5 in Abuja.
Owo has therefore invited stakeholders, industry experts, and potential partners to join and support WEOG in the advocacy.
She also confirmed that WEOG has initiated the National Decarbonisation Park.
Prince Nwosu also spoke, encouraging women in the oil and gas field to embrace the initiatives and visions of WEOG.
“It cannot be well if you are not aware,” he said, urging women to sustain the advocacy about climate change and its impact.
