NGO pushes for more local engagement in climate change advocacy

A climate change-based environmental conservation organization, Revamp Rave Network (RRN), has called on government bodies in Africa to incorporate community insights into climate change policy-making processes across the continent.

Abimbola Abikoye, who is the founder and convener of Coastal Rural Community Conference on Climate Change, made the call during her opening remarks at a one-day Conference in Lagos State.

While speaking at the conference themed: “Strengthening the Capacity of Coastal Communities in Climate Adaptation and Mitigation for more Ocean Governance,” the RRN founder emphasized on the importance of leveraging local knowledge and perspectives in crafting effective climate change mitigation strategies.

She noted that community-driven approaches were essential for creating sustainable policies that resonate with the realities faced by residents in coastal regions and stressed that the resolutions formulated during the conference which brought together over 500 coastal rural women, men and persons with disabilities from across five largest fishing communities in Lagos, would be documented and presented to government representatives at all levels, with the intent of fostering comprehensive and sustainable policy development.

The conference had in attendance the Director Department of Climate Change, Lagos State Ministry of Environment, Mr Bankole Michael, and Director United Nations Information Centre, Mr Wellington O. Omoragbon, who both called for heightened awareness and education on climate issues, urging governments, individuals, and NGOs to intensify their efforts in disseminating climate change literacy at the grassroots level.

The speakers also explored the importance of strengthening the capacity of communities on climate adaptation and mitigation for more ocean governance.

Speakers at the event encouraged attendees to take climate change seriously and adopt the best practices in their fishing activities.

The conference was supported by Ocean Justice Africa, Department of Fisheries, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, UN Ocean Decade- Early Career Ocean Professional Programme, MushinToTheWorld Foundation and Lekan Bakare Foundation.