Governoe Ademola Adeleke of Osun on Monday called on world leaders to empower subnational entities to accelerate achievement of the Paris agreements on climate change.
A statement by the governor’s Media Aide, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, said that Adeleke made the call when he received the report of the Climate Advisory Council in Osogbo.
Adeleke said that his call had become necessary as world leaders converged on Dubai ahead of the 28th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 28).
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The United Arab Emirates will host the 28th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) from November 30 to December 12, 2023 at Expo City Dubai.
The COP 28 is to unite the world towards agreement on bold, practical and ambitious solutions to the most pressing global challenge of our time – Climate change.
Adeleke said that substantial gains could only be achieved in tackling climate change, when states and local governments are strengthened and mobilised to implement mitigation and resilience projects.
“My message to world leaders ahead of COP28 is for them to refocus attention on the states and local governments.
“Funding should be redirected to reach regional and council governments while the central governments coordinate.
“The battle front now is for subnational entities to be prioritised.
“If the global community truly wants the Paris agreements to be achieved, let us go local. Localisation should be the watchword within the climate space.
“I also call on leaders of the world to note the urgency of simplifying access to climate financing.
“The clamour I read has been inadequate financing. How accessible is the current available pool of funds?
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“We need to make it easy to access funding for climate adaptation projects.
“We are to reduce bureaucracy and all those bottlenecks that slow down or even deny many actors of access to finance,” the governor said.
Adeleke stressed that Osun State was committed to climate action.
He said that his administration welcomed partnership with the National Council on Climate Change and other development partners, adding that it had the political will to make a difference.