By Cynthia Alo
The Lagos Office of Climate Change and Circular Economy (OCCE) and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR) will be working together to address the rising threat of climate change in the state.
The two government entities also agreed to harness the opportunities within the climate change ecosystem to institutionalise a circular economy to create jobs and contribute to the states Gross Domestic Product, GDP.
Speaking during a courtesy call on the management of Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Climate Change and Circular Economy, Titi Oshodi, said Climate Change poses a severe threat to the wellbeing and economy of Lagos state.
She noted the Energy sector of the state is the highest contributor to the emission of Green House Gas in Lagos, so, fundamentally, this ministry is one of our first areas of call, and we are extremely delighted with the open arms of the honourable commissioner and his team.
The Lagos State Climate Action Plan 2020 2025 showed that more than half of Lagoss 21 million residents live in informal settlements, which renders them highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
Oshodi noted that the Lagos State Adaptation and Resilience Plan (LCARP) estimated the effects of climate inaction at $22-29 billion, 11 times the states 2022 annual budget.
These are real numbers. Half of 21 million Lagos residents and 11 times our states 2022 budget are at risk. So we have to look for ways to rein in this menace. So thats why, for us at OCCE, what we are doing is first touching base with major actors and sharing our plans with them. And our plan is straightforward.
