Experts in the area of climate change and residents of Ondo State have called for a more proactive climate action and policy awareness plan that focuses on climate resilience and inclusion.
They disclosed this at an interactive community dialogue on Nigeria’s national climate policies and climate action plans on Saturday which was organised by the Aquaworld Community Development Initiative through the “Climate Action for Stronger Naija project,” an initiative of the Network of Youth for Sustainable Initiative (NGYouthSDGs) in collaboration with the Embassy of Germany in Nigeria.
Participants at the dialogue included youths, undergraduate students, civil servants, farmers, and representatives of various community-based and non-governmental organisations.
Expressing concerns about the urgent need for climate resilience, the Senior Special Adviser to Ondo State Governor on Youth Empowerment and Job Creation, Benedict Orioye Gbayisemore, who was the keynote speaker and panelist, stated that: “The critical issue of food insecurity in Nigeria is largely due to the impacts of climate change, and building resilience is the responsibility of every citizen.”
In her address, Aquaworld’s Communication Strategist, Esther Olufade, harped on the importance of inclusion of everyone in climate action plans, including people with disabilities.
She said: “Disadvantaged individuals should be considered and involved in deciding climate action plans. Convenient platforms should be made available for such individuals to lend their voices without having to feel unimportant.”
The panelists highlighted the importance of youth involvement in policy formulation, especially those from disadvantaged communities, and discussed actionable strategies for building climate resilience in Ondo State.
Other panelists at the event include the chairman of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Ondo State chapter, Matthew Ogunmolowa; coordinator of YALI Network, Ondo Hub, Mr Ayodeji Oladimeji; a research fellow at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Mr Kehinde Adejugbagbe and CEO and founder of Greentead Farms NG, Mr John Akinloye.
Earlier at the event, Aquaworld CDI’s Programme Coordinator, Mr Olasukanmi Olagboye, provided the participants with an in-depth education on Nigeria’s national climate policies, focusing on the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) and the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
The goal of the session, he said, was to address the lack of awareness that many youths have regarding the policies on crucial issues like climate change in Nigeria.
Following the panel discussion, the participants, in three sectoral groups (farmers, students, and experts), discussed the specific impacts of climate change in their communities, the barriers they faced in addressing these impacts, and their vision for the next decade.
They also proposed separate action plans and community visions based on their sectors that emphasised the shared goal of creating a stronger, climate-resilient community.
One of the participants, Dr Precious Agenu, said the dialogue has broadened his knowledge of climate change impact beyond the peripheral view and he is better equipped to extend the newly acquired knowledge to more youths in the state.
