Transitioning to inclusive and nature-based decarbonisaton through recreating tree-based artisanal industries in Kano City, Nigeria

Abstract Nigeria is committed to achieving carbon neutrality by halving its emissions by 2050. It has adopted nature-based solutions to implement its decarbonisation agenda. Nevertheless, as a highly urbanised country, the roles of Nigerian cities, where most emissions are concentrated, have not been clearly outlined. Besides, the one-size-fits-all strategy hardly works for all cities, given their spatial, demographic, economic, social, and ecological differences. Considering these differences, the aim of the article is to explore the potentials of design thinking in co-designing city-specific decarbonisation transition pathways, using the example of Kano City. The author draws on seed ideas co-developed by actors in urban economy, the arts, and environmental and social sciences through three workshops. The participants co-identified indigenous tree species that could support the material needs of tree-based artisan industries. At another level, they co-identified seed ideas to support transition to inclusive and equitable decarbonisation. The main finding is that transition to decarbonisation at city level is achievable through the promotion of tree-based artisanal production, ecosystem restoration, and conservation of indigenous trees. The author concludes that in the case of Kano multidimensional pathways identified could be a good step by the city to complement generic forms of country-level decarbonisation transition strategies.