Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has called for urgent, collective action to combat climate change, warning that the city is already feeling its devastating impacts. Speaking at the 11th Annual Lagos Public Relations Stakeholders’ Conference, where experts emphasized the crucial role of communication in driving environmental sustainability, the governor highlighted the need for stakeholders to step up their efforts. Our correspondent has the details.
Representing Governor Sanwo-Olu, the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Philip Wahab, delivered a stark message: the impacts of climate change are already here, and without urgent action, Lagos will face even more severe consequences.
The urgency of this message was echoed by Olabamiji Adeleye, CEO of Addefort Limited, the conference organizer. Adeleye aligned the conference’s objectives with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, emphasizing the critical need for sustainable consumption, natural resource management, and swift climate action.
Earlier, while opening the conference, Comfort Obot Nwankwo, Chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Lagos Chapter, highlighted the crucial role of communication in driving the sustainability agenda. She urged public relations professionals to use their platforms to shape narratives and inspire collective action towards a more sustainable future.
In his keynote address, Dr. Onoja Joseph, Director-General of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation, urged PR professionals to simplify complex climate-related terminologies and engage communities through storytelling and educational initiatives.
The panel session, moderated by Mrs. Giniikanwa Frank-Durugbor, Head of Corporate Communications at Lafarge Africa Plc., saw experts calling for a paradigm shift in how climate communication is handled. They argued that current campaigns have often framed climate change as an abstract issue, disconnected from everyday life. The panelists advocated for communication strategies that link social behaviors and lifestyle choices directly to environmental impacts, thereby making the issue more relatable and urgent for the public.
With a strong focus on communication as a driver of climate action, stakeholders here are leaving with a renewed commitment to using their voices to shape a more sustainable world.
