Redefining approach to climate action, energy transition

By : Adéṣẹ́gun Ọṣìbánjọ́

Date: 31 December 2025 2:17am WAT

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Climate change

Climate change

This Position Paper sets forth a decisive call for a realistic, equitable, and technologically grounded Global Climate Strategy, driven by a joint initiative proposed by the Adé-Nexus Centre for Energy & Climate Innovation to the United States of America and intended for Global adoption by the United Nations. It recognizes the undeniable urgency of Climate action while correcting the structural weaknesses of current approaches that over-rely on intermittent Renewable Energy and under-appreciate the role of Hydrocarbons in Global stability, Industrial development, and Human progress.

A new paradigm is needed—one that integrates the Circular Carbon Economy, Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage, measurable and verifiable accountability systems, and a fair financing model for Africa and other developing regions. This Paper proposes such a paradigm.

The Centre respectfully requests the United States, under the pragmatic Energy-policy orientation articulated by the Trump administration and championed by Energy Secretary Chris Wright, to co-champion this new Global direction. With US technological leadership and UN Global legitimacy, the world can move toward a Climate model that protects development, strengthens Energy sovereignty, and delivers measurable environmental progress.

This Model—originated in Nigeria, strengthened through U.S. partnership, and globalised by the UN—offers the World a workable, inclusive, Innovation-driven Climate pathway that finally aligns ambition with reality.

Rethinking the Path to Net-Zero The current Global Climate architecture leans heavily on idealistic projections that sidestep the World’s dependency on Hydrocarbons for reliability, industrial strength, and economic survival. A truthful audit shows that renewables alone cannot sustain global stability, especially in the developing World where industrialization and energy access remain urgent priorities.

Several European countries—including Germany and the United Kingdom—have experienced Grid stress and supply shocks largely due to premature overdependence on intermittent renewable energy. This fragility reveals the fundamental flaw of a one-sided transition.

The Adé-Nexus Centre for Energy & Climate Innovation therefore presents this proposal directly to the United States of America. The U.S., with its unmatched technological ecosystem and its renewed focus on Energy sovereignty under President Donald J. Trump’s administration, is uniquely positioned to champion a smarter Global model. Upon US acceptance, this framework is to be formally adopted and globally advanced by the United Nations, ensuring Universal legitimacy and coordinated action.

The Limits of Renewables and the Myth of Exclusivity Renewables have made important contributions to decarbonization, but they were never designed to replace baseload power on their own. Their intermittency, seasonality, weather dependence, and vulnerability to mineral-supply Geopolitics render them insufficient as the singular backbone of Global energy systems.

Heavy industries—Cement, Steel, Chemicals, and Thermal power—cannot operate on intermittent energy. Aviation, Shipping, Manufacturing, and Mining require high-density, constant energy sources.

The Global narrative that portrays fossil energy as incompatible with Climate responsibility is misleading and ultimately harmful. The World’s largest economies achieved their prosperity through reliable baseload energy. It is neither fair nor realistic to require Africa to industrialize without similar access.

A transition that fails to acknowledge this truth punishes developing countries, destabilises Grids, and deepens Global inequality. We must correct the path before the World enters deeper instability.

Understanding the Circular Carbon Economy The Circular Carbon Economy is the World’s most balanced, flexible, and scientifically sound pathway to Climate responsibility. It incorporates four pillars, the 4Rs: Reducing emissions where possible, Reusing carbon through industrial applications, Recycling carbon via conversion technologies, and Removing carbon through natural and engineered sinks. This model does not demonize Carbon; it manages it intelligently.

Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS) lies at the heart of this approach. CCUS enables countries to continue using hydrocarbons while dramatically lowering emissions. It allows Cement plants, Steel mills, Chemical industries, Refineries, and Power stations to operate efficiently without contributing to atmospheric overload. Carbon can be stored in deep Geological formations, including depleted Oil reservoirs, Saline aquifers, and even certain Limestone quarry formations where long-term mineralization is feasible. This approach creates stability while reducing environmental impact.

The Circular Carbon Economy aligns perfectly with the Measurable, Reportable, and Verifiable (MRV) framework, ensuring transparency, accountability, and integrity in Global emissions management.

Fossil Exploration, Integration, and Accountability Africa holds vast Hydrocarbon reserves essential for poverty reduction, industrial development, job creation, and national sovereignty. However, restrictive global financing frameworks have placed artificial barriers around fossil investment, blocking Africa’s development while the World’s wealthiest economies continue to consume fossil energy on a massive scale.

This Position Paper makes a clear case: Fossil exploration and development in Africa must not only continue—they must be integrated with CCUS from the ground up. Such integration ensures responsible operations, transparent emission tracking, and alignment with global Climate goals under MRV compliance. The World must lift blanket restrictions on fossil financing in Africa. These restrictions hurt the poor, hinder development, and contradict the historical pathway that enabled developed nations to reach their present prosperity. Africa should not be punished for desiring the same opportunities others enjoyed.

Financing Hard-to-Abate Sectors Cement, Steel, Chemicals, and Power generation. These sectors form the backbone of industrialization, infrastructure development, and global commerce. They also represent the highest concentration of unavoidable emissions due to their process-intensive nature. This paper calls on the United Nations, the United States, the World Bank, and other global development institutions to establish special eligibility financing windows for Hard-to-Abate industries that adopt CCUS integration. These sectors cannot decarbonize through renewables alone. They require heavy investment, technology transfer, and policy alignment. Financing these sectors is not a concession; it is a Global necessity.

Global Leadership and the Role of the United States The United States must reclaim its rightful place as the Global leader in responsible Energy policy. Instead of withdrawing from global Climate agreements, the U.S. should champion a revised, realistic, and innovation-driven framework that balances Climate responsibility with economic strength and national sovereignty. President Trump’s energy ideology—focused on reliability, innovation, and practicality—provides exactly the kind of leadership the World needs.

This Position paper therefore invites the United States to co-lead the Circular Carbon Economy Initiative with the Adé-Nexus Centre for Energy & Climate Innovation. With U.S. endorsement, the United Nations can formally globalize this model and set a new course for the World.

Reframing Article 6: Carbon Markets and Cooperation Article 6 of the Paris Agreement governs international Carbon markets and cooperative Climate action. However, its current structure is restrictive, unclear, and inaccessible to most developing nations. This Paper proposes a redefinition of Article 6 to simplify accounting frameworks, ensure integrity, strengthen MRV systems, and unlock billions of dollars in Climate finance.

A reformed Article 6 will make the Circular Carbon Economy scalable, commercially attractive, and globally applicable.

Conclusion The World stands at a crossroads. A transition built on unrealistic assumptions will lead to instability, economic stagnation, and deepened inequality. The Circular Carbon Economy is the only pathway that harmonizes development, Climate responsibility, and technological progress.

The Adé-Nexus Centre for Energy & Climate Innovation respectfully submits this revised Global Climate Strategy to the United States of America for partnership and technical co-championing, and to the United Nations for adoption and globalisation.

With this model, the World can finally achieve ‘A just Energy Transition’—one that leaves no Nation behind and ensures that Climate ambition and human progress move forward together.

References and Acknowledgments This Position Paper draws on authoritative international sources, including the International Energy Agency (IEA), the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), particularly documents on the Circular Carbon Economy (CCE), Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS), and Article 6 Carbon-market mechanisms. U.S. energy Policy frameworks by the Trump administration, as articulated by the Department of Energy, provided critical guidance in shaping the practical and innovation-focused approach presented herein. Regional and continental analyses, including reports from the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), informed considerations for Hard-to-Abate sectors and industrial decarbonization in Africa.

The Author acknowledges his prior work, “Global Climate Action Strategies in Nigeria and Africa: Reconciling Economic Growth with Environmental Sustainability,” which laid the analytical groundwork for integrating economic development and environmental stewardship in the current Global framework. Insights from Policymakers, Energy experts, and Institutional stakeholders further strengthened the evidence base and operational feasibility of the Proposals advanced.

nnSpecial recognition is given to the Adé-Nexus Centre for Energy & Climate Innovation for providing the conceptual and operational Centre for this initiative, to the United States of America for its leadership in Energy reliability and technological innovation, and to the United Nations for its pivotal role in global Climate governance and in adopting and advancing equitable, actionable Climate strategies. The Author also extends appreciation to the Global scientific and technical community whose research underpins the pragmatic solutions embedded in this Position Paper.

A joint initiative proposed to the United States of America, to be adopted and globally advanced by the United Nations. Ọṣìbánjọ́, is Architect-in-Chief, Adé-Nexus Centre for Energy & Climate Innovation.

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