Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has taken significant steps to address climate change by inaugurating the Climate Change Advisory Council.
This was made known during the inauguration ceremony, held in conjunction with World Environmental Day, June 5.
The governor has expressed his commitment to combatting this issue and has made it a priority.
The newly established council will serve as the primary driving force behind the state’s climate actions and interactions.
To support these efforts, the governor has also established a Department of Climate Change and renamed the Ministry of Environment to the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change.
These measures aim to elevate the state’s commitment to climate goals and set a high standard.
Mallam Olawale Rasheed, the Spokesperson/Chairman of the Governor’s Climate Advisory Council, announced that Governor Adeleke has approved the creation of a State Climate Action Plan.
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This plan, the second of its kind in the country after Lagos State, will provide support to communities and stakeholders through training, resources, and technical assistance.
Additionally, the council will develop management plans for natural resources, emergency response, state facilities, and agency equipment. It will also focus on updating facility design and operations to account for future climate conditions, promoting research and monitoring on climate change impacts and adaptation, conducting outreach and education initiatives, and providing agency support for implementing resilience actions.
The primary objectives of the council, as stated by Rasheed, include reducing risk and vulnerability to climate change, strengthening resilience, enhancing well-being, and building the capacity to anticipate and respond successfully to change.
Governor Adeleke, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Honourable Tesilim Igbalaye, expressed concern about the current state of the world and the alarming environmental degradation it faces.
He particularly emphasized the issue of plastic pollution, citing alarming statistics on the increasing volume of plastic waste entering the environment and its detrimental effects on human health.
Recognizing the urgency of the problem, he endorsed the resolution adopted by 175 countries at the United Nations Environment Assembly in March 2022, which called for negotiations on an international legally binding agreement to eliminate plastic waste and pollution.
The governor directed the Ministry of Environment to develop an Osun State Action Plan Against Plastic Pollution, incorporating sustainable production and consumption practices, effective waste management strategies, and improved transparency in plastic supply chains.
The plan is expected to be ready within three months, with implementation set to commence later this year, and the aim is to achieve significant milestones in controlling plastic pollution by the 2024 celebration of World Environment Day in Osun State.
