By Seyi Babalola

A coalition of three civil society organizations, Centre for 21^st Century Issues, International Climate Change Development Initiative, and Connected Advocacy has raised a one-day community consultation on emission reduction (Net-Zero) to mitigate climate change in the Ojokoro local government area of Lagos State with the code #RANTZNigeria.

The awareness was raised at the council secretariat on Thursday to further enlighten the people on how to reduce emissions (Net-Zero) in other to mitigate climate change in the community.

Speaking during the event, the Executive Director of Centre for 21^st Century Issues, Ms. Titilope Ngozi Akosa appreciated the Chairman, Council Chairman, and all members of the Ojokoro community for allowing them to host this event in the local government.

“We believe that everyone in Ojokoro LCDA needs to be aware of the importance of climate change and that is the essence of this programme. So, we need to do our part as civil society organisations in order to mitigate the effect of climate change on our environment.

“There are several activities we are engaging in daily which as a result of our ignorance, we directly or indirectly harm the atmosphere. Also, we want to look at the efforts of the government at all levels in ensuring that our environment is safe for habitation,” she stated.

The Executive Director of C21st Issues noted that the event is for members of the community on the need to achieve the reduction of carbon emissions to zero and after the sensitization action plans will follow.

“First of all we are starting with an action plan, and through the aid of the executive Chairman, a recycling centre will be placed in the local government to help the people calculate the number of carbon emissions that they are avoiding in the community in other to give tangible information to the public on what has been achieved in reducing carbon emission to zero.

Ms. Titi Akosa also stated that the civil society organizations are also planning on raising awareness of Net-Zero in all other local government areas in the state.

“This is a pilot and from this, we want to expand to all other local governments in Lagos State and we are all going to bring together more civil societies to help us in raising more awareness on Net-Zero in Nigeria, she stated.

In his keynote address, the Executive Chairman of Ojokoro Local Government, Hon. Hammed Idowu D. Tijani appreciated the organizers of the event for bringing the awareness of Net-Zero programs to the community to learn and have more understanding of climate change in Nigeria.

He noted the impact of Climate change and its emerging adaptations to the environmental challenges that are affecting the community.

“As we all know, Climate change affects everyone. Girls, boys men, and women in vulnerable communities are taking the strongest hit even though they are not responsible for it.

“Climate change effects are rising sea levels, shrinking glaciers, droughts, extreme heat, excessive rainfall, flooding, degrading agricultural land.

“All these are forcing people and nations to make desperate choices of climate change adaptation and mitigation. So new thinking new pragmatic responses and greater agility are needed to responding our fast-changing world”.

The Executive Chairman emphasized that the community is prepared to mitigate the effect of climate change in the local government.

“The local government is prepared and ready to do our part, in time past we have been doing a series of things in other to mitigate the effect of climate change within the community and we are very much willing to have a centre where we can be turning all these our waste into wealth.

“The environmental unit of the local government were all the time out there to make sure that we manage the waste of the local government because what brought all the problem most is the way we are managing our waste which the environmental unit is all out there to make sure we are doing it by the interest of the entire people of the community”.

He added that Ojokoro LCDA will work in collaboration with the Lagos State Ministry of Environment to have a centre in the local government where all the plastic can be converted to proper use within the next three months.

While delivering the Keynote Lecture titled: Lagos: Our Pathway to Net Zero by Mr. Bankole Micheal, the Deputy Director/Head, of Climate Change and Environment Planning, Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, described net-zero as “balancing the amount of greenhouse gas emissions and the amount removed from the atmosphere which involves reducing emissions as much as possible switching to renewable sources and using carbon-neutral technologies to remove any remaining emissions”.

He did, however, point out that greenhouse gases are natural, but human activity has raised their levels, resulting in high heat, catastrophic floods, and sea-level rise, which are the three principal repercussions of climate change.

While highlighting the importance of net-zero emission, Bankole said: “Net-zero will limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, the maximum temperature rise considered safe by many scientists. Net-zero will protect biodiversity, reduce the impact of climate change and preserve the beauty of our planet for future generations. At the same time, it will improve air and water quality, reduce the risk of natural disasters and help create healthier communities.”

However, the Deputy Director/Head, Climate Change and Environment Planning in Lagos State stated that “achieving net-zero is a daunting task that will necessitate significant changes in the way we live, work, and consume.” Some of the major difficulties in attaining net-zero are money, behavioral change, and political will, with advantages such as cleaner air, job development, and sustainable growth to be realized in Lagos State as a result of the transition to net-zero.

Dignitaries in attendance include Ojokoro LCDA leaders, heads of market men and women groups, Ojokoro LCDA Community Development groups, health authorities, and religious leaders.