Lagos State Government has started engaging the youth in the state to promote climate actions and drive the restoration of the environment through sustainable environmental practices.
To achieve this, the state has in collaboration with C40 Cities, launched the ‘Lagos Youth Climate Campaign,’ as part of the government’s step to implement its Climate Action Plan, launched in July 2021.
This initiative, which started with organising a climate change workshop, was done with the support of the United Kingdom’s Foreign Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO).
Speaking at the workshop in Lagos with the theme ‘Lagos Youth United for Climate Action,’ Tokunbo Wahab, commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, said that globally, youths are known to be very disruptive, but they can champion any revolution such that it can gain traction.
Represented by Babatunde Ajayi, general manager of Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Wahab said in addition to the youths, the state will also use new media to drive the key messages and awareness of the climate change campaign.
He said there will be skits, infographics and other means of communication to ensure the implementation of the State climate action to ensure the messages are passed.
“More than ever, the current administration led by the Governor of Lagos State Babajide Sanwo-Olu is keen on ensuring efficient climate change action for Lagos. We have started and we are focused on achieving it all,” he said.
Lagos also unveiled Maryam Apaokagi known as Taaooma, a comedienne, content creator and social media influencer, to drive the State’s climate action plan of the ‘Lagos Youth Climate Campaign’.
Also speaking, Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu, special adviser on Environment, said the ‘T.H.E.M.E.S Plus’ Agenda is focused strategically on the youths because Governor Sanwo-Olu realised the need to focus more on the youths which is why ‘Plus’ was introduced.
“The plus agenda ensures social inclusion, gender equality and youths as a priority. Taaooma is very popular among the youth, she has good records and comes clean with her content, no scandals. She is a social media giant, and we trust her ability to carry the youth along. We considered she deserves to drive the policy for us,” Rotimi-Akodu said.
On the significance of the partnership with the Lagos State Government, Maximus Ugwuoke, Lagos City Adviser at C40 Cities, said Lagos as part of the C40 Cities network is showing the light to other cities all across Nigeria on how to prioritise climate action.
“We have supported Lagos to develop a climate action plan that aligned with the Paris Agreement, and we have continued to support its implementation through the generous support of the Foreign Commonwealth Development Office, through the Urban Climate Action Programme because it is not enough to develop a plan without implementation.
“C40 Cities Network is supporting Lagos in implementing actions around energy, waste, and mainstreaming because in Lagos waste management, energy and transportation are the emission hotspots. We are supporting them to make sure that they implement action to reduce greenhouse gas carbon emissions through those sources,” Ugwuoke said.
Ugwuoke said C40 is also supporting Lagos to mainstream climate action through a strategy and action plan aimed at bringing all MDAs together to ensure that climate action is embedded and prioritised in their policies, plans and budgetary allocations.
According to him, the youth programme is part of the strategy to engage the youths into taking proactive actions to address the issue of the climate emergency in Lagos.
Lagos is a pioneer member of C40 Cities, a global network of the world’s leading cities that are united in action to confront the issues of the climate crisis and sustainable environmental practices, which aligns with the ‘T.H.E.M.E.S Plus’ Agenda of Lagos State.
