Climate change is here. Rain falls on historically dry days and we are experiencing unprecedented heat across our cities. As the climate changes, Nigerian cities are at an increased risk of extreme weather events such as flooding, pest and diseases, droughts, food shortage amongst other persisting social, economic and environmental challenges.
To worsen this, and further increase our vulnerability to these climate risks, drainage ways designed to process water from rainfall to prevent flooding are clogged by everyday waste materials due to the prominence of indiscriminate waste management practices. How we currently manage our wastes in Nigeria currently contributes 15% to our greenhouse gas emissions and does a double take of reducing our capacity to quickly adapt in the face of flooding- which is a major climate risk we are vulnerable to. With about 90% of the wastes being burnt either on the streets, open dumps or left in the drainages, this current practice also exposes us to diseases and public health degradation.
With more intense rainfall expected across the country and a heightened risk of flooding, it has become paramount that we do our part to prepare for these risks to prevent displacement, loss of properties and lives.
As a solution, we are launching the Go Green with Ecobarter campaign across three flood prone states in Nigeria- Lagos, Benue and Abuja. This is a community sensitization campaign that will run both online and offline from March 20 to November 18.
The goal of the campaign is to increase the awareness of everyday people on climate change and climate adaption solutions such as sustainable waste management. We are also looking to enable communities take action to keep their streets/drainages unclogged and free of waste materials. Key activities will include engaging volunteers, launching Go Green Pledge cards, launching challenges, creating climate education content and talking to people on the ground.
We are excited for the Go Green Campaign and we look forward to engaging thousands of households across Nigeria. We invite you to join this campaign and take a pledge to Go Green with Ecobarter here
Learn more about Ecobarter’s sustainable waste management solutions
