(NIGERIA)
Leaders from nine African megacities met in Lagos this week and pledged to take effective climate action and meet the requirements of the Paris Agreement.
It will see Accra, Addis Ababa, Cape Town, Dakar, Dar es Salaam, Durban, Johannesburg, Lagos, & Tshwane develop climate action plans with the support of the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40) and the German Federal Ministry for the Environment – among others. The Mayors of all nine are committed to the initiative.
“The realities of climate change and its effects on our collective survival and ability to thrive, are being realised by all. Our citizens are becoming more aware of these impacts,” said Hon M. Adjei Sowah, Mayor of Accra. “We cannot ignore the implications of what will befall us if we do not act now. A business as usual approach to our quest for socio-economic development will not aid in addressing the threat of climate change. Part of the actions we need, is the creation of a vision that embodies our passion to plan and implement initiatives that mitigate the negative effects or aids us to be able to adapt to the impacts. Lagos has given us the opportunity to come together as African Cities leading the way to interpret the Paris Agreement for the understanding of every man, woman and child in our local communities. There is more beyond this meeting; and those are the things we must prepare to address.”
Globally, 40 plus mayors have announced plans to take forward climate action initiatives by 2020 that exceed national commitments.
