In view of the nasty environmental conditions experienced by Lagos residents in the past few weeks as a result of flooding, including the seeming uncontrollable sand digging exercises in the metropolis, which are considered inimical to a safe environment, stakeholders in the environment sector have urged Lagos State to look at past recommendations made at the various climate change summits.
Since the 7th Lagos State Climate Change Summit in 2015, where salient decisions were arrived at, environmentalists, Friends of Environment and other stakeholders are urging the resumption of the summit, or in the alternative, the use of various suggestions made over the years.
Recall what happened at last event where, a participant, Dr Kamil Usman, an environmentalist stated that most of the recommendations by the experts seem not yet to be looked at yet.
“Those of us that attended the last summit could vividly remember what the immediate past governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola, said at the event and I qoute: ‘The only thing I can add is to make a request, that as I yield the baton of governor to our Governor-elect, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, you must not drop the baton. I urge you to even give more support to him and his team to continue this awareness about the dangers to the environment and evolve mitigation and adaptation strategies that will help all of us survive and realize the various aspirations that we have.’”
According to Dr Usman, experts from various countries, including the representatives of British High Commissions and the Denmark counterpart, among others, highlighted how Lagos was susceptible to climate change.
“We heard from Conservation International in that epic documentary that nature and the environment do not need us, but we need them. This is a fundamental issue that we must concern ourselves with,” said Usman.
He said the annual forum which had in attendance over 700 stakeholders, maintained that Lagos, as a mega city, must commit to addressing greenhouse gas emissions reduction; including introducing controlled parking zones to deter the use of private vehicles and establishment of carbon registry to monitor GHG emission levels.
These recommendations, according to him, were in a 24-point communique issued at the end of the summit.