Climate Change: Adeleke to inaugurate Osun Climate and Renewable Energy Advisory Council

Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun state on Monday announced the creation of Climate and Renewable Energy Advisory Council as well as the establishment of a Carbon Tracking Research unit at the Osun State University.

While delivering his speech at the World Environment Day program of the Osun State ministry of environment and sanitation in Osogbo, the Osun state capital, Governor Adeleke also directed the state Ministry of Environment to prepare an Osun State Action Plan Against Plastic Pollution within three months.

Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Teslim Igbalaye, the governor noted that to address the plastic pollution and the climate change question, sub-national entities cannot leave the issue to the national governments alone. State governments worldwide must rise up and create plans of action.

He said: “As a state, we support the March 2022 resolution endorsed by 175 countries at the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-5) to start negotiations on an international legally binding agreement to eliminate plastic waste and pollution in the environment. The resolution highlights the importance of sustainable production and consumption of plastics, including resource efficient and circular economy approaches.

“We are therefore challenged to devise holistic programme to counter this threat. We recommend a combination of waste prevention, alternative materials, waste management, and improved transparency of plastic supply chains.

“I am further directing the Ministry of Environment to prepare an Osun State Action Plan Against Plastic Pollution. The plan must embrace local and international best practices alongside an implementation plan with deliverables.

“The plan must be ready within the next three months so that implementation must commence in the last quarter of this year. By the 2024 celebration of World Environment Day, Osun must have achieved milestones in concerted efforts to control plastic pollution.

“Our ambition is to be a leading sub-national entity within Nigeria in the fight against plastic pollution as much as in the general climate action arena.

“It is that ambition that drives my approval of Osun Climate Change Agenda, the first comprehensive state climate plan in Nigeria. I therefore direct the Head of Service and the Ministry of Environment to put into effect the approvals on the Governor’s Climate and Renewable Energy Advisory Council, the development of the State Climate Action Policy, the engagement of Climate Action consultant, the establishment of a Carbon Tracking Research unit at the Osun State University among others.

“To address the plastic pollution and the climate change question, sub-national entities cannot leave the issue to the national governments alone. State governments worldwide must rise up and create plans of action.”

In his own speech, Chairman of the Climate and Renewable Energy Advisory Council, Mallam Olawale Rasheed noted that the Osun state government has taken bold decisions in the direction of sub-national entities taking an active and frontline role in the fight to save the planet from climate change.

He added that pillars of the proposed agenda are Disaster risk management; Food and nutrition security; Water and the blue economy; Forestry, wildlife and tourism; Health, sanitation and human settlements; Business Sector; Energy and transport.

Rasheed maintained that the objectives of the agenda are to reduce risk and vulnerability to climate change, strengthen resilience, enhance well-being and the capacity to anticipate, and respond successfully to change.

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