By Our Reporter
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has said the state is vulnerable to climate vagaries but noted it stands tall among among committee of nation defying the odds to make appreciable gains.
The governor stated this on Tuesday but said the state government aligns with the urgency for actions in mitigating the effects and championing adaptation initiatives at the local and international levels.
Governor who spoke at the Flag off of the 3- day 10th Lagos International Climate Change Summit held at Continental Hotel,Victoria Island, stated that government understands that the issue of climate change is not a distant threat but present reality that requires immediate solutions.
Sanwo-Olu also launched the the Lagos Climate Adaptation and Resilience Plan (LCARP) and Lagos Climate Change mainstreaming Strategy as parts of strategies to reduce emissions and mitigate to Climate Change challenges.
According to him, Lagos today stands on the threshold of history as a state driven not by what some people see as challenges but by what it considers its greatest prospects and attributes.
He said, “as a city of aquatic splendour, Lagos is vulnerable to climate vagaries and stands tall among the committee of nation defying the odds to make appreciable gains.”
He recalled that several years ago, the atmospheric elements threatened to take over the Victoria Island part of the state, saying the state tamed the raging sea by constructing the great Walls of Lagos out of which came the Lagos Atlantic City thereby restoring and revitalising surrounding businesses.
Sanwo-Olu stressed that in 2015, the comity of Nations reached a landmark agreement to keep global temperature below 1.5 degrees centigrade adding that Lagos responded by developing a second 5year Climatic Action Plan outlining goals and strategies for emission reduction.
The Governor said with the unveiling of the first Nigerian electric Car in Lagos in November 2020, the state intends to replace 50% of public transportation fleet with electric Vehicles by 2030.
“The red and blue line projects recently launched are crucial for reducing the carbon footprint decreasing vehicular emmission, cutting down travel times and promote a sustainabe low carbon future for lagos” he said.
Sanwo-Olu emphasized that the state has successfully signed partnership deals with a private Waste Consortium to build a waste to energy Plant that will provide electricity for about 40,000 homes and convert 2,250 tonnes of waste daily.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab noted that the solution to climate change lies in climate resilient development which involves integrating adaptative measures with actions to reduce or avoid greenhouse gas emissions in ways that provide wider benefits.
He highlighted that the summit theme “Accelerating Climate Finance and Championing Local Adaptation Initiatives” aims to explore ways of attracting climate finance into the adaptation space as well as to create livable and resilience infrastructure.
He said from the inaugural summit to the tenth edition, the state had witnessed a transformative shift in global consciousness towards climate action, adding that each summit had been a stepping stone, building upon the achievements of the last, propelled forward by the tireless efforts of countless climate heroes.
The Commissioner stated that over the past decade, the Lagos International Climate Change Summit has served as a platform for dialogue, collaboration, and innovation in addressing climate related issues in the State.
“From promoting renewable energy to implementing sustainable waste management practices, we have made significant strides in integrating Climate Actions in Lagos State Development Investment Opportunities and building resilience in the face of climate variability” he added.
He said amidst the celebration of past achievements, the state is also confronted with the stark realities of the present situation saying the global 6th Assessment Report (AR6) of the IPCC serves as a sobering reminder of the urgency of the situation and the need for immediate action.
He emphasized that this year’s summit is therefore not just a forum for discussion, but a clarion call for action saying that everyone must accelerate the efforts to mobilize climate finance and channel it towards projects that prioritize local adaptation initiatives.
Wahab reiterated that the aforementioned means investing in infrastructure that can withstand the impacts of climate change, empowering communities to develop climate-resilient livelihoods, and enhancing our capacity to respond to climate-related disasters.
In a special session titled “Climate change Initiatives; the journey so far” the former Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola(SAN) said Climate Change is triggered majorly by human conduct and sometimes natural causes.
He said the International Climate Change Summit championed in 2009 has proved its effectiveness, adding that the convocation of the 10th edition of the Summit is a reassertion of the Leadership role Lagos State plays in Climate Change Initiatives.
He maintained that Lagos is a place of innovation and not a place of experiment, adding that most initiatives in Lagos State Environmental sector over the years are targeted at reducing carbon emission and ways to combat climate change.
