Minister of Environment, Mr. John Odey , who made this known in Lagos yesterday at the governors’ session of the second Lagos State Climate Change Summit, said the federal government has stepped up efforts to position Nigeria to face the challenges of climate change and to tap opportunities therein.

Odey, who was represented by Prof. Olorunfemi Sam, also said Nigeria has not only evolved sound policies towards reduction of greenhouse emissions as part of the mitigation measures, but also embarked on implementation of policies.

He identified gas reform policy as one of such policies, saying the federal government “is embarking on refining, piping, bottling and exporting of refined gas products, a policy, which has been adjudged a win-win strategy for the environment and the economy”.

He also mentioned the sustainable use of forests, sensitisation awareness creation and adaptation strategies as key measures to address the impacts of climate change, stating that it is all about enabling people to manage climate-related risks.

He added that such states as Delta, Ondo, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa-Ibom, Lagos and Cross Rivers have invest heavily to complement the efforts of the federal government towards designing and executing projects that will control tidal waves at the beaches and prevent ocean surge and salt water intrusion.

But Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), who hosted three of his colleagues at the forum, frowned at the manner some states accessed ecological funds while others could not get assistance for ecological disasters.

According to him, within our federation, some states get assistance for ecological disasters while other never get. It is unknown what the criteria for grant or refusal is based upon. The reality is that this is no longer an isolated problem. The threat to the environment anywhere is a threat to the environment everywhere.

He said: “Our scientists have led the way by logically identifying some of the major causes; extensive use of carbon fuel, massive logging, and such other practices that demonstrate how we have abused nature. They have proceeded to suggest simple and practical methods such as increased use of renewable energy, tree planting and many other methods based on the simple principles of conservation, prudence and respect for nature”.

Fashola also noted that the involvement of the 36 governors of the federation to be drivers and agents of the change was to ensure a total participation with all hands on deck to check the effects of climate change, adding, “Everybody will be affected and everybody must sign on”.

He also called on the Acting President to fast track the completion of power reform sector expressing optimism that it would also spearhead the environmental mitigation strategy towards saving the country from the lurking effects of climate change.

According to him, I believe that if there is sustainable power supply, it would reduce the option of felling wood and look to the option of using electricity to cook their meals I believe that would be the most impactful blow that the federal government can strike”.

Also speaking on the ecological funds, Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomole, sought transparency in the manner the funds are disbursed, tasking the federal government to develop an effective disbursement strategy.

Oshiomole said Edo state was lagging behind in the fight against climate change and in combating the effects of gully erosion and flooding in the agrarian state. According to him, we have begun to review our legislation on those who fell tress illegitimately and for those with licence, planted 250,000 trees last year, plan to plant 400,000 trees this year.