Lagos State, Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre, emerged tops in the just concluded climate governance performance ranking of the 36 states of the federation with 182 points.
This state’s position was revealed during the launch of the report which was championed by the Society for Planet and Prosperity (SPP) in collaboration with the Department of Climate Change (DCC), Federal Ministry of Environment in Abuja recently.
The report, which recognises and recommends that there are still loads of work to be done across the 36 states, acknowledges that Lagos has taken a quantum leap ahead of others in effective climate governance and action.
The result of the Climate Governance Performance Rating and Ranking (CGPRR) of Nigeria’s 36 States 2024 was jointly announced by the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, the Minister of State for the Environment, Iziak Salako, and the President of the Society for Planet and Prosperity, Chukwumerije Okereke, a professor, at the launch event.
Lagos State was the only state rated as “outstanding” among the 36 states of Nigeria, reflecting their feat in exceptional performance in the five criteria used for the ranking namely, Climate Institutions and Governance, Climate Policy and Action Plan, Climate Implementation of Project and Online Visibility.
Lagos was one point short of Gombe State in the overall score and ranking for institutional arrangement and administrative structure among the 36 states. It shared the top position with 5 other states in the total score and ranking for having in place climate change policy and action plans which set emission reduction targets that contribute to the national efforts reflecting key commitments of the state to global climate ambition
Lagos State emerged tops in the thematic rating for climate change projects’ implementation and having in place a system for effective monitoring, evaluation and reporting (MER) of climate impact and/or actions ahead of other states.
The state also went ahead to share the top spot with 8 other states on online visibility regarding climate change activities, having functional websites (or links on the state official website) for the Ministry of Environment/Climate Change and with several pages showing dynamic web activities.
In terms of budgetary allocation for climate action, Lagos shared second position with 19 other states behind Gombe among the states that considered climate change in their respective 2024 annual budgets with proper tagging of climate change projects
There is no doubt that Lagos plays a pivotal role in the Nigerian economy as the nations’ commercial hub with record of almost 30 percent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Despite this status, Lagos has continued to grapple with serious climate change-related challenges. Over the years, the state has recognized that climate action is not only an environmental necessity but also an economic imperative pushing the state government for greater climate action.
Dubbed the Centre of Excellence, Lagos demonstrates inspiring climate action which prioritizes zero-carbon development goals in several sectors including transport, agriculture, energy, and waste management. In its continued drive for greater ambition, the state has engaged with international organisations and frameworks, such as the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, which supports cities in developing and implementing climate strategies all of which may have contributed to the states outstanding performance.
In his signed statement via X (formerly twitter), Tokunbo Wahab, the state’s Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, wrote: “I am delighted to announce that Lagos State came 1st amongst the 36 states and FCT in Climate Governance Performance ranking conducted by the Federal Ministry of Environment and Society for Planet & Prosperity.”
This great feat is as a result of the state government’s deliberate commitment and unwavering dedication to environmental sustainability and its proactive approach to addressing climate change challenges.”
While commending state governor in his post, the commissioner wrote, “under the visionary leadership of His Excellency, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Lagos State government has prioritised climate action as a cornerstone of its development agenda.
Through strategic planning, robust policies, and innovative initiatives, we have made significant strides in mitigating the impacts of climate change while fostering a sustainable future for our residents. This prestigious recognition is a validation of our relentless efforts to create a cleaner, greener, and more resilient Lagos,” he said.
