The 10th Lagos International Climate Change Summit, held from 10-13 June 2024, convened stakeholders and experts to address pressing environmental challenges and opportunities in Lagos State. The summit focused on accelerating climate finance and championing local adaptation initiatives as crucial steps toward achieving sustainable development goals. Among the distinguished speakers, Soji Awogbade, Principal Consultant at Harboursim LP, chaired a session focused on Climate Change Finance and Sustainable Development. This session featured critical discussions on the intersection of finance and sustainability in climate action.
Launch of Strategic Documents
- Lagos Climate Adaptation and Resilience Plan: A comprehensive strategy to enhance Lagos’s resilience against climate impacts.
- Lagos State Mainstreaming Strategy: A framework integrating climate considerations into broader development plans.
Focus Areas of Discussion
- Accessing Climate Finance: Strategies, opportunities, partnerships, and projects aimed at securing financial resources for climate adaptation and mitigation efforts.
- Gender and Youth Inclusion: The role of climate finance in fostering inclusive, gender-responsive, and youth-oriented adaptation measures.
- Private Sector Engagement: Accelerating innovation and investment in climate resilience through private sector participation.
- Waste Management: Developing local financing strategies to address waste management challenges and promote sustainable practices.
- Transportation: Implementing a multi-modal transport system as an adaptation mechanism to mitigate climate impacts on Lagos’s infrastructure.
- Climate Change Resilience in State-Wide Infrastructure Development
- Emphasized the need for innovative engineering solutions to build robust and adaptable infrastructure.
- Discussed policy frameworks that support climate-resilient development.
- Highlighted collaborative approaches involving government, private sector, and communities to ensure sustainable implementation.
- Mainstreaming People’s Health in the Global Climate Change Agenda
- Highlighted the health benefits of climate change adaptations, such as reduced air pollution and enhanced public health infrastructure.
- Stressed the importance of integrative approaches to ensure health is a core component of climate strategies.
- Called for global cooperation to address health impacts of climate change and promote resilient health systems.
Leadership and Commitment
- Government Commitment: Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration reaffirmed its dedication to environmental sustainability, citing ongoing infrastructure projects as examples of proactive climate action.
- Commissioner’s Address: Tokunbo Wahab emphasized the urgency of climate action in light of recent global reports, advocating for robust financial mobilization and community support.
Conclusion and Recommendations
The summit concluded with a call to action, highlighting the following recommendations:
- Advocating for responsible lifestyles to promote sustainability.
- Enhancing public-private partnerships for climate finance mobilization.
- Strengthening gender and youth inclusion in climate adaptation initiatives.
- Supporting vulnerable communities through targeted adaptation projects.
Moving Forward
Stakeholders are encouraged to:
- Implement the Lagos Climate Adaptation and Resilience Plan and Mainstreaming Strategy.
- Collaborate on innovative climate finance mechanisms.
- Monitor progress and outcomes through regular stakeholder engagements and updates.
Acknowledgments
The summit’s success is attributed to the leadership of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Deputy Governor Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, and Commissioner Tokunbo Wahab, as well as the contributions of all participants and organizers. The final communique, read by Professor Babajide Alo, underscored the collective efforts needed to drive climate action and the importance of integrating health and infrastructure resilience into climate policies.