Gov. Babajide Sanwo-olu of Lagos State says the state’s Climate Adaptation and Resilience Plan and Climate Mainstreaming Strategy will promote renewable energy for implementing sustainable waste management.
He said this on Tuesday, June 11, 2024, in Lagos during the opening of the 10th Lagos Climate Change Summit when he inaugurated the strategy. He explained that the strategy would also build resilience in the face of climate variability.
The governor, represented by the Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hazmat, said: “We, as a government, believe and understand the effect of climate change.
“Even though some world leaders do not understand the enormity of the situation, look at what happened in Dubai and even Texas, we as a society need to protect our environment.
“This seed that was planted when our former governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN), saw the need to protect our environment because of the impending danger.
“When there’s flooding and one people are displaced the only logical thing to do is find succour where there’s calm.
“We just want those migrating to Lagos to follow our plans, you just can’t bring your shop and say this is where I want it, ask yourself if it fits into Lagos plan.
“I want to call on residents to desist from blocking or building on drainage channels, taking care of our environment is a collective responsibility.
“I strongly believe that when the plan upon which a community is built is followed, the environment will be better structured.”
Babatunde Fashola, who started the climate change summit in 2009 when he was governor of the state, said the government must urgently increase access to safe water.
Similarly, the immediate past Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, commended his successors in the state for sustaining the summit initiative which he started in March 2009.
Fashola called on the Lagos State Government not to lose its leadership role in promoting the awareness on opportunities and challenges that comes with climate change.
“I’d like to commend Gov. Sanwo-Olu for keying into the vision, seeing this continuity says a lot about leadership.
“When our video came up when we began this summit, I had black hair, but now climate change has happened to my hair, it’s all grey, this nostalgic feeling will stay with me, the sustainability of this summit is predicated on good governance,” he said.
The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab, said that the three-day summit would explore ways to mobilise climate finance into the adaptation space to enable transition to a low carbon economy for the benefit of residents.
“We will continue to collaborate to build a resilience city in a bid to reducing carbon emission profile and adapting to climate change for the collective good of all.
“I also call on people to comport themselves to avoid flooding by adhering to the physical planning framework as the state government is committed to converting waste to wealth,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, a former Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Dr Muniz Banire, urged government to further build on existing templates of development in the state.
By Aderonke Ojediran
