Waste management or waste disposal has been a challenge for the Lagos State Government for decades.

The government has adopted several strategies to manage the whopping 15,000 tonnes of garbage generated daily in the over-crowded city-state that receives immigrants almost on a daily basis from other parts of the country and beyond.

Thorough the responsible agency, the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), government had in the past explored several measures such as the use of private sector players (PSP), which are facing stiff competition from the infamous but somewhat preferred cart pushers.

In a bid to achieve better results, LAWMA has also attempted managing waste through characterisation, improved technology and partnering with other nations.

However, only limited success has been achieved. Indeed, health hazards due to the activities of the PSPs, the ageing equipment they deploy, sharp practices by cart pushers, and the sorry state of the waste dump sites have all colluded to put the situation in a state of desperation.

The need for an urgent action to turn around the conditions cannot be over-emphasised.

In fact, there is the need for an elaborate and standardised regulation of the environment of Lagos State, in line with international best practices, while taking cue from locations such as the United Arab Emirates, Tanzania, Kenya, Namibia, and New York City in the United States.

Lagos and New York City, for instance, are two mega cities that mean the same in terms of entertainment, commerce and global trends. While Lagos has a population of 21 million with an estimated population density of 13,405/sq.km, New York City has a population of 23 million with a population density of 10,833/sq.km.

In fact, while New York with its huge population has been able to successfully handle the massive amount of waste generated daily, Lagos, on the other hand, is struggling with storage, collection and disposal of her waste.

New York has about 120 landfills sites while Lagos has only six landfills, with only three of the six functioning. This is grossly inadequate for the Lagos metroplois, considering that she generates approximately the same amount of waste as New York does, even so, a huge percentage of this is solid waste.

Asides struggling with disposal of the enormous amount of waste generated daily, Lagos has not been able to effectively collect her waste. This is exemplified as waste littering roadsides, waste being disposed into drainages, and overflowing public bins, among several others. There is a huge gap in collection and the PSP operators obviously struggle with the huge amount of waste they have to collect.

New York has successfully been able to collect her waste through several methods including government-regulated commercial waste systems in which they have over 250 commercial waste haulers, as well as dispose effectively through recycling methods and landfills. In that part of the world, waste is wealth. In Nigeria, and Lagos to be precise, waste is a curse rather than a blessing – its simply a disaster waiting to happen.

It has been shown that only 60% of the daily waste collected in New York go to the landfills compared to about 95% in Lagos.

Lagos must, as a matter of urgency, start recycling as an alternative to landfilling. It has been seen that the heavy reliance on landfills has brought about environmental pollution and several health hazards to residents around the sites as seen in the Olusosun landfill, which today remains the largest landfill site in the country.

The Olusosun dump site is nothing but as a disaster waiting to happen and the need for a quick action from government is long overdue. The dump site at Isolo also requires an urgent intervention from the authorities.

There is likewise the need to allow for a coordinated and effective private sector participation in the management of the environment, as well as the provision for an organised judicial framework for the administration of environmental laws in Lagos State in other to make this happen.

Similarly, there is the need to explore newer methods of collection to help effectively handle the waste generated. Other collection agencies need to be employed as it is obvious that the PSP operators alone can’t handle the massive amount of waste.

The Akinwunmi Ambode administration should tackle this hydra-headed problem without minding whose ox is gored. The speed and enthusiasm with which the present administration tackled the Light-up Lagos initiative should be deployed to combat this age long problem that has now grown to become a monster.

The recent clean up exrcice embarked upon in highbrow areas of lagos like Victoria Island, Lekki and Ikoyi should be extended to the waste management sector.

Government must, as a matter of urgency, seek help from those who have managed waste in mega cities around the world, while bearing in mind the nation’s – and the state’s – peculiar solid waste generation status.

By Adebayo Samuel (Ojota, Lagos-based environmental rights activist; shamueldebayo2080@gmail.com) 

Reducing emissions of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) under the Kigali Amendment can prevent up to 0.5°C of global warming, while continuing to protect the ozone layer. Similarly, HFCs consumption to be reduced in 2019 in developed countries and frozen in 2024 and 2028 in developing countries

Nearly 200 countries struck a landmark deal on Saturday in Kigali, Rwanda to reduce the emissions of powerful greenhouse gases, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), in a move that could prevent up to 0.5 degrees Celsius of global warming by the end of this century.

The amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer endorsed in the Rwandan capital city is believed to be the single largest contribution the world has made towards keeping the global temperature rise “well below” 2 degrees Celsius, a target agreed at the Paris climate conference last year.

“Last year in Paris, we promised to keep the world safe from the worst effects of climate change. Today, we are following through on that promise,” said United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) chief, Erik Solheim.

“This is about much more than the ozone layer and HFCs. It is a clear statement by all world leaders that the green transformation started in Paris is irreversible and unstoppable. It shows the best investments are those in clean, efficient technologies.”

Commonly used in refrigeration and air conditioning as substitutes for ozone-depleting substances, HFCs are currently the world’s fastest growing greenhouse gases, their emissions increasing by up to 10 per cent each year. They are also one of the most powerful, trapping thousands of times more heat in the Earth’s atmosphere than carbon dioxide (CO2).

“The faster we act, the lower the financial costs will be, and the lighter the environmental burden on our children,” said President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame.

“That begins with a clear signal that change is coming and it is coming soon. In due course, new innovations and products will allow us to phase out HFCs even faster, and at lower cost.”

The rapid growth of HFCs in recent years has been driven by a growing demand for cooling, particularly in developing countries with a fast-expanding middle class and hot climates. The Kigali amendment provides for exemptions for countries with high ambient temperatures to phase down HFCs at a slower pace.

“It is not often you get a chance to have a 0.5-degree centigrade reduction by taking one single step together as countries – each doing different things perhaps at different times, but getting the job done,” said US Secretary of State John Kerry.

“If we continue to remember the high stakes for every country on Earth, the global transition to a clean energy economy is going to accelerate.”

Phase down schedule

Following seven years of negotiations, the 197 Montreal Protocol parties reached a compromise, under which developed countries will start to phase down HFCs by 2019. Developing countries will follow with a freeze of HFCs consumption levels in 2024, with some countries freezing consumption in 2028.

By the late 2040s, all countries are expected to consume no more than 15-20 per cent of their respective baselines.

Financing and alternatives to HFCs

Countries also agreed to provide adequate financing for HFCs reduction, the cost of which is estimated at billions of dollars globally. The exact amount of additional funding will be agreed at the next Meeting of the Parties in Montreal, in 2017. Grants for research and development of affordable alternatives to hydrofluorocarbons will be the most immediate priority.

Alternatives to HFCs currently being explored include substances that do not deplete the ozone layer and have a smaller impact on the climate, such as ammonia or carbon dioxide. Super-efficient, cost effective cooling technologies are also being developed, which can help protect the climate both through reducing HFCs emissions and by using less energy.

The Kigali Amendment comes only days after two other climate action milestones: sealing the international deal to curb emissions from aviation and achieving the critical mass of ratifications for the Paris climate accord to enter into force.

Friday, 14 October 2016 at The Hague started with a press conference of the Monsanto Tribunal & People’s Assembly organising committee, including: Vandana Shiva, Corinne Lepage, Emilie Gaillard, Mindy Schneider, Hans Herren, Ronnie Cummins, Andre Leu, Nnimmo Bassey and Renate Künast.

They spoke of the necessity of a people’s grassroots movement in the face of governments and international institutions’ inaction in protecting human rights. A full day of presentations and reports from various scientists, activists, and leaders of important organizations such as Navdanya International, IFOAM, GM Watch, and Pesticide Action Network to name a few, who covered topics of ecocide and genocide, adverse effects of pesticides and herbicides on the environment and health, and attacks by big international corporations on farmers and farming as well as science and scientists.

Together, they made a joint declaration to save the planet from the past century of ecocide and genocide.

Crimes Against Nature

Monsanto, along with the other poison making corporations, have to recognise that nature has rights. We cannot continue to allow for violations and looting of our Mother Nature, if we want our planet and all her diverse species to survive.

The conquest of nature driven by rampant and mindless industrialisation has poisoned and polluted our planet. Greed for the control of nature has driven the new colonisers to disregard indigenous traditions and sciences. In the process, nature has been made into an instrument of exploitation. We stand today to celebrate Nature in all her diversity, with all her rights and we call all citizens of the world to rise in pledging to honor the rights of our Earth (http://www.collective-evolution.com/2014/08/24/the-universal-declaration-of-the-rights-of-mother-earth/).

Patenting Life and seeds

All beings including plants, animals, and even the tiniest of microorganism are sentient beings. They are self-organised living systems and not inventions. Monsanto’s claim on patents on seeds and life is not only a gross violation of Nature’s rights, but also represents a challenge to Nature’s process of creation and to Life itself. Monsanto claims to be “the creator”, that is “the inventor” of life and seeds. Yet, plants and seeds produce and reproduce themselves without the intervention of a corporation. Monsanto, by claiming to be the Creator of seed, sends out a simple signal to the world – GMO = God Move Over.

Violations of Farmer’s Rights

Across the world, from India to Mexico, the rights of farmers have been violated. In India alone, 300,000 farmers have committed suicide in the past two decades – most of these occurring in the “cotton belt”, the area of India where 95% of the cotton seed lies in Monsanto’s hands. By fraudulent means of manipulation and lies, Monsanto has tricked farmers into buying their seeds. They have illegally extracted royalties and increased the costs of inputs. This has led to hundreds of thousands of farmers being pushed into the debt and suicide cycle.

Contamination, Genetic Pollution and Devastation of Biodiversity

GMOs have contaminated farmers’ fields and destroyed generations of natural evolution of plants all over our planet. From Steve Marsh from Australia to Percy Schemeiser from Canada, farmers are the worstly affected victims of this genetic contamination. Furthermore, GMOs have oppressed farmers by making them pay for the pollution of their fields. Monsanto wants control of our seeds and food systems and is willing to cross any boundaries for its profit. In 1995, Monsanto illegally smuggled Bt cotton seeds into India and contaminated native and hybrid cotton fields in Gujarat. They have used genetic pollution and contamination as a modus operandi to enter countries without any biosafety or scientific assessments. In many countries of the world, Monsanto has reversed thousands of years of natural evolution.

Attack on Democracy and Countries

Monsanto’s drive for profit has unleashed seed imperialism on the world. They have corrupted governments and lobbied to dismantle sovereign laws and Constitutions of all countries. Article 6 of the Argentinean Constitution and Article 3 (J) of India’s Constitution do not allow patents on plants and seeds, but Monsanto has challenged these laws in both countries’ courts in an effort to undermine these democracies. Through lobby groups, Monsanto has applied international pressure to the dismantlement of the safety frameworks that ensure that rights of plants and citizens are protected. Monsanto is still attacking Argentinean laws, seeking to change any laws that come in the way of their corporate profits. “In the case of the lawsuit against Monsanto in Argentina in 2013, we requested to have access to the studies conducted by Monsanto. This legal measure was approved and we could see with our own eyes that their studies are just trash science,” said Fernando Cabaleiro.

Poisoning life

By introducing poisons such as Roundup (glyphosate) and Basta (glufosinate), Monsanto has exposed millions of people to virulent poisons. Today, these people are suffering from neurological diseases like autism and Alzheimer’s, food-related diseases like cancer and diabetes, and are developing countless health complications. The poisons being forcibly unleashed on farms are the major reason for these diseases.

Climate Action Network (CAN), a global network of over 1,200 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) on Saturday saluted the outcome from the Montreal Protocol talks in Kigali, Rwanda as countries agree to phase down “super greenhouse gases” known as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).

The group has described the development as a critical step towards limiting warming and as “the single biggest climate action of the year”. It comes just weeks before leaders meet in Morocco for the yearly international climate talks.

The amendment establishes three different timetables for all developed and developing countries to freeze and then reduce their production and use of HFCs.

Developed countries agreed to make their first HFC cuts by 2019. Developed nations have also committed to provide additional funds through the Montreal Protocol’s Multilateral Fund. China, Brazil, South Africa, Argentina, and more than 100 other developing countries have committed to freeze their HFC production and use by 2024, and make further reductions thereafter. India, Gulf States, and Pakistan have agreed to make HFC reductions on a slower track.

“It is crucial that in the coming years countries work towards transitioning to energy efficient and environment friendly alternatives. The agreed technology review will help with rapid maturity of alternatives and enable countries to strengthen their actions,” the group states.

It points out that the news from Kigali on HFCs as well as the recent outcome on aviation emissions shows that governments are taking the objective of the Paris Agreement seriously. It hopes that countries will accelerate their national ambition over time but soon enough to give a fighting chance for the world to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 C.

Representatives form civil society organisations are already reacting to the agreement.

David Doniger, NRDC’s Climate and Clean Air programme director: “This is a major breakthrough: The world has come together to curb climate-wrecking super-pollutant HFCs. This is the biggest step we can take in the year after the Paris agreement against the widening threats from climate change. And bringing HFCs under the Montreal Protocol sends a clear signal to the global marketplace to start replacing these dangerous chemicals with a new generation of climate-friendly and energy-efficient alternatives.”

Paula Tejón Carbajal, Global strategist, Greenpeace International: “The success of this agreement will be determined by how much developing countries can leapfrog HFCs and how much countries can avoid yet another chemical alternative like toxic HFOs and adopt natural refrigerants. This will be decisive in the coming months and years.”

Chandra Bhushan, Deputy Director General, CSE: “The agreement reflects the willingness of all parties to take action on climate change. What we have achieved at Kigali is the beginning. We can build on this success and further enhance the climate actions by countries under the Montreal Protocol and in other climate agreements, especially the Paris Agreement.”

Benson Ireri, Senior Policy Advisor, Christian Aid: “To aid the switch to newer and safer natural refrigerants, sufficient funding will be required through the Montreal Protocol’s Multilateral Fund to enable poorer countries to invest in the new technology. It is vital that developed countries also share their progress on technological breakthroughs.”

Clare Perry, Climate Campaign Leader, Environmental Investigation Agency: “The Kigali Amendment, just prior to the adoption of the Paris Agreement, brings concrete global action to fight catastrophic global warming. Still, with billions of tonnes of emissions still up for grabs, the ultimate success of the Kigali amendment will depend on accelerating the removal of these industrial climate-killers in upcoming meetings.”

“Our communities are full of law-abiding, if impoverished, residents of Lagos State. We belong to the city and have a right to the city as well as right to shelter and to livelihood. Forced eviction is not only unlawful, but ineffective. It will also not solve whatever problem your administration hopes to solve. It will not set Lagos on the path to being a global megacity. The only path to real megacity is to embrace the urban poor and partner with us to find lasting solutions to challenging urban problems such as security and development.”

Those were the compassionate yet somewhat defiant words of waterfront and slum dwellers in a recent correspondence to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State over the latter’s decision to demolish shanties along the state’s shorelines.

The government move is coming in response to the recent kidnappings in the state, some of which were carried out through the waterways. A fresh incident featured the kidnap of school children and staff of the Lagos State Model College, Epe.

Governor Ambode, who gave the order during an inspection tour of state projects, said government was poised to go all out against kidnappers through tougher legislations.

He said: “Most of the issues that we have with kidnappings are actually being brought up by those who are illegal settlers by the waterfront. We will commence demolition of all the shanties around the creeks in Lagos State and also around our waterways in the next seven days. We will not allow a few set of people who come into Lagos and stay on our waterfront illegally and then use it as anopportunity to kidnap our people.

“I believe that the era of kidnapping has come to an end. We are going to review our laws and I can tell you sincerely that we will deal with kidnappers squarely in Lagos from this moment onwards.”

But the governor’s statement and resolve have apparently not gone down well with the over 70 waterfront settlement communities in the state, who have come together as a group to resist the open threat to their livelihoods and places of abode.

In what looks like a damning letter to the governor, the waterfront dwellers, operating under the aegis of their umbrella body, the Nigeria Slum/Informal Settlements Federation, have denounced the governor’s announcement (made on Sunday, October 9, 2016), and even demanded an immediate retraction of the seven-day notice given to them.

Part of the letter, titled “Demand for immediate retraction of seven-day notice to waterfront communities across Lagos State” and dated Tuesday, October 11, 2016, states:

“With due respect your excellency, we a movement comprising the poorest residents of Lagos State from over 70 informal settlements – and ever growing.

“We have come together knowing that our unity is our strength, to seek partnership with government to protect our dignity and bring development to our community.

“Consequently, and with heavy hearts we hereby denounce your excellency’s announcement of 9 October and demand official, immediate retraction. We have no choice but to suspend all dialogue until such notice is retracted.

“Should this notice not be retracted by end of the day on 12 October 2016, we shall use this medium to inform your excellency that we will be embarking on mass protest across the state.”

The letter was endorsed by representatives of communities such as Ofin (Ikorodu), Itun Agan, Tomaro, Baiyeku (Ikorodu), Ajagbe Sari Iganmu, Mosafejo Oworonshoki, Oko Agbon, and Irede.

President of the Senate, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has assured the citizenry of the Senate’s commitment to universal access to clean cooking energy in Nigeria. He made the declaration recently in Abuja while hosting  members of the Nigerian Alliance for Clean Cookstoves (NACC), who paid him a courtesy call.

National Coordinator of the NACC, Ewah Otu Eleri, told the audience that over 95,000 Nigerians, mostly women and children, die annually as a result of smoke from the kitchen.

He said: “Smoke from the kitchen is the highest killer of Nigerians, after malaria and HIV/AIDS. Cooking should not kill.” He urged the Senate President and other Senators in attendance to support the goal of 10 million clean solutions for delivery to Nigerian households and institutions by 2020.

“Nigeria has all it takes to achieve universal access to clean cooking. Our country is one of the world’s largest producer and exporter of cooking gas, known as LPG. Despite that, only about five percent of households in our country use cooking gas,” Mr Eleri added.

Daniel Isiocha, a manager with Techno Oil Limited, producers of LPG, disclosed that the establishment is currently constructing a cylinder manufacturing plant in Lagos and has just commissioned the building of a gas terminal.

He lamented that the switching cost to LPG is very expensive, even as he urged Dr Saraki to support the use of part of the current spending on kerosene subsidies for LPG. According to Mr Isiocha, this would lower the cost of LPG and ensure more Nigerians have access to clean cooking fuel that is produced locally.

Musa Raymond, Managing Director of Musa Raymond Nigeria Limited, told the audience that his firm produces about half a million clean cooking stoves annually. “With better access to finance and stronger demand, especially from government-owned facilities such as schools and prisons, my company can produce millions of stoves and employ more Nigerians. Access to finance is the biggest challenge,” he disclosed.

Addressing the Senate President, Adako Kwanashie, a clean clean cookstoves entrepreneur based in Kaduna State, told the story of his small stove producing company. “I employ five local artisans, mostly potters and metal workers. If the government had facilitated more demand for our products, for instance through an awareness campaign, we will sell more stoves and can employ up to one hundred young people,” he explained.

He added that small clean cooking businesses require a supportive policy environment to expand the market for cleaning cooking in the country.

With the Senate President were Senator Oluremi Tinubu (Chairman, Senate Committee on Environment and Climate Change), Senator Sam Egwu (Chairman, Senate Committee on Industry) and Senator Rose Oko (Member, Senate Committee on Environment and Climate Change).

In his response, Dr Saraki assured the NACC delegation that clean cooking was close to his heart. “At the Senate, we shall step up actions to expand access to clean cooking. It is a fact that, apart from saving lives, the use of clean cookstoves would also help to create jobs for our people. We are particularly happy that the Nigerian Alliance for Clean Cookstoves is focusing on made-in-Nigeria cooking solutions,” he said.

The Senate President promised to work with his colleagues in the Senate to explore opportunities to use legislation to expand access to clean cooking energy in the country. According to him, himself and his colleagues would work to promote made-in-Nigeria clean cooking products. He urged Senator Oluremi Tinubu to work with NACC to determine the kind of actions the Senate can take to support the goals of the Alliance.