By Yemi Olakitan and Fatima Saka
The UK has reaffirmed its commitment to reducing climate change’s effects in Nigeria.
This was said by Mr. Ben Llewellyn-Jones, British Deputy High Commissioner in Lagos, at a climate change event organised in conjunction with the Commonwealth Day celebration in Lagos’ Lufasi Park.
The repercussions of climate change, he claimed, were already being felt, and they needed to be appropriately handled.
“Climate change is a significant and ongoing concern, and some of the things we are already observing are already the results of dangerous climate change, some of which is the already-occurring temperature change.”
Hence, we need to consider some of these harmful effects and how to adapt, and one way to do that is to construct infrastructure that can survive some of these harmful effects of climate change.
“Part of the money that is being spent is for the prevention of future hazardous climate change, which is crucial because the repercussions are greatest felt in countries like Nigeria, which are vulnerable to climate change and have the least responsibility for the emissions that are creating it.
There is still a lot of work to be done because of the effects of climate change, but as always, we are committed to making sure we overcome every obstacle and keep moving in the same direction, he said.
He emphasised the need for youth education on the harmful effects of climate change, noting that 60% of the commonwealth’s nations were comprised of young people.
The commonwealth states, he continued, were unified in their commitment to eradicating issues that affected the countries that were governed by them.
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“In the Commonwealth, young people under 30 make up 60% of the population.
“That demonstrates a sizable number of individuals who can be inspired to try and stop climate change, and they are the people who will face the potentially severe effects of climate change, unless we prevent them.
“Having kids and young people from all across Lagos participate in this event is a crucial method to spread awareness about what kids can do to combat the effects of climate change and how their actions can have an impact.
All hands must be on deck, he said, to make sure that we take steps to lessen the implications and harmful repercussions of climate change.
He said that in order to assist in decarbonizing the ecosystem, the public should concentrate on using lower carbon energy sources.
Environmentalist and founder of Lufasi Park Mr. Desmond Majekodunmi asked the government to support initiatives aimed at reducing the effects of climate change.
The proper authorities should spend money wisely, he continued.
If funds have been allocated, it is evident that they have not achieved their intended goal of halting the disastrous consequences of weakening the planet’s life support systems.
“Money is moving from Europe to other countries like Nigeria and other locations, but one of our main worries is that it might not be distributed straight to the areas where it is intended to be distributed.
There is one aspect of life that cannot be changed, and these funds should be directed towards fulfilling that goal, he continued, therefore we implore people who have access to them to spend them wisely.
Also, the event included discussions about climate change, tree planting, and upcycling activities from more than 100 secondary school students and climate actors from Lagos State.
