Report on the Guest Lecture Series held at Ogun State.
Title: “Doing Business in a Changing Environment”
Date 29th January, 2009.

Issues relating to changes in climate have in recent times become highly topical. It was in this regard that over 100 stakeholders from Ogun State gathered at the Adesba Hotel, Panseke in Ogun State for a one day Guest Lecture Series on Climate Change entitled “Doing Business in a Changing Environment”. The summit was organized by the British Council, Lagos, Nigeria, in collaboration with Environmental Law Research Institute (ELRI) the Ogun State Ministry of Environment and Sangel Technologies International.

The summit is an initiative of ELRI and the British Council. It is aimed at raising awareness on climate change and enhancing high-level policy commitments in support of action on climate change.

The summit was attended by stakeholders from the public and private sector. The opening remarks were delivered by the Commissioner for Environment, Prince Dr. Adedoyin-Adeleke, representatives of the British Council and ELRI. The Commissioner for Forestry, Alhaji. Ali Ajibode, who represented the Ogun State Governor declared the event open. In his remarks, he noted in his that the Guest Lecture was timely in that the impact of climate change was already being felt in Nigeria, citing instances of accelerated deforestation and desertification in most parts of the country, particularly the recent flooding incident in Ogun state as typical examples of the changing patterns in the Nigerian environment.

After the plenary session and a brief drama sketch on the importance of conserving energy, Dr. Olanrewaju Fagbohun, the Executive Director ELRI, presented the first paper titled “Environmental Justice and Conception of Sustainability in a changing enviroment ”. He highlighted major barriers to access to environmental justice in Nigeria and called for an action plan to evolve strategies that can aid the attainment of environmental justice.

Ms Sandra Olaojo, the representative of Sangel Technologies International, presented a paper on “Alternative Sources of Energy as Mitigation to Environmental Problems”. Ms Olaojo reiterated the call for less dependence on biofuels and other environmentally unfriendly sources of energy.

The last paper was presented by Prof. Enitan Bababunmi titled “Doing Business with Definite Hope for Successful Ventures in a Changing Environment: The Use of Intellectual Property (IP) as the Main Currency”.  According to him the business community should move towards not only seeking alternative sources of energy but putting negative by-product of their activities into innovative use. These by products in his view could be technologically utilized to generate wealth, a sort of ‘waste to wealth’ innovation which could be patented and serve as a source of income.

At the end of the presentations, the participants engaged the guest speakers in an interactive question and answer session. Thereafter, the communiqué was presented. Among others, it was recommended that there is the need:

• for better understanding of climate change and its impacts on the all facets of human existence;

• for a review and harmonization of existing laws regulating the environment in order to make them relevant to present realities;

• to increase capacity building initiative for all stakeholders on environmental issues so as to enhance their ability to manage environmental issues;

• for the Ogun State government to evolve effective strategies for better management of issues relating to the environment;

• to draw up an action plan for the adoption of alternative sources of energy in order to ensure a healthy environment;

• to ensure compliance with the requirements for Environmental Impact Assessment for all activities;

• to actively pursue waste to wealth innovations and patent them for creation of wealth;

• for government to enhance data collection, collation evaluation and storage facilities particularly at the department of Statistics of all levels of government.

At the end of the summit, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Environment, Mr. Niyi Salako, gave the vote of thanks while the closing remark was made by Mr. Olatidoye, Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Environment Ogun State.