In an effort to mitigate and adapt to the impact of climate change, the Kano State Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, in collaboration with the Partnership for Agile Governance and Climate Change (PACE), have held a high-level stakeholders sensitization session geared towards the implementation of the state’s climate change policy.
Speaking during the event on Thursday, the Environment Commissioner, Dahiru Hashim, said being a global challenge, climate change has altered the way people live, hence the need to come up with local solutions and policies to guide the state to meet up with the global intervention on climate change.
He explained that relevant stakeholders from the transport, health, commerce and energy sectors, amongst others, are being involved with the intention of making a community-based and community driven policy document.
“The policy document is going to guide us as a state to align with global best practice to ensure that people don’t get exposed to effects of climate change.
“We are currently battling issues of deforestation, desertification rising temperature, low air quality among others which affects our health and environment,” he stated.
While expressing optimism on having a good document, he added that his ministry under the leadership of the state Governor, Abba Yusuf, is also working towards reviewing the state’s by-laws to ensure the state meets set targets.
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Speaking earlier, PACE state Team Lead, Auwalu Hamza, stressed on the need for collaborative and deliberate action in joining the global community in the drive for a safer and more lively surroundings.
He congratulated the state government for taking the initiative and said the session will unveil the state steering committee and technical working groups with a secretariat for the implementation of the policy.
In his goodwill message, the State Team Lead of the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), Abdulkadir Nasiru, emphasized that climate change remains a priority because of its direct impact on the health sector.
He noted that about 29 percent of Nigeria’s national health burden is linked to climate change, urging the state government to take urgent action at ensuring it operates based on climate resilient facilities.