CCDI - Community Conservation and Development Initiatives

CLIMATE CHANGE PROGRAMME

This began as a series of workshops for three local governments in Lagos – Eti-Osa, Lekki, and Yaba. The aim of the project was to encourage the formulation of policies to guide climate action and to encourage participation and implementation of these policies by not only local government officials and community leaders, but also the community members themselves. Since then, CCDI has worked with these local governments to draft local climate action plans with the committees. In addition, a report which covered various topics addressed during the workshops has been drafted. This report, which could form the basis of a policy document for local government action on climate change, was reviewed by a panel of experts and will be circulated to all 57 local governments in Lagos with the help of the state government.

In the second half of 2009, CCDI held a forum with participants of previous climate change seminars. The focus was on providing a platform for the stakeholders to share ideas about how climate change projects, once implemented, can be made sustainable.

This seminar, held in the first half of 2009 brought together urban planners, architects, developers, builders, government officials and academics to highlight the enormous potential of this interdisciplinary group of stakeholders to provide ecologically sustainable urban design, which is one of the chief measures to combat climate change.

This seminar was organized for various sectors of the manufacturing industry to examine the impacts of climate change globally and in Nigeria in particular and to identify the challenges and opportunities for the Nigerian manufacturer.

The workshop held in 2008 aimed to develop and strengthen the capacity of 50 senior government officials to develop multi-sectoral approaches to climate change, which can be integrated into all Lagos State development plans.

This is an eight page full colour publication which provides information in a non-scientific way on climate change from as many angles as possible, in terms that are accessible to a wide range of people- private sector, public sector, policy makers, journalists, NGOs as well as the general public. CCDI has produced three editions.

A dinner business meeting was held with senior executives from the financial sector in November 2007 to discuss the risks and opportunities presented by global climate change to this sector.

This was held in April 2006 and spearheaded CCDI’s active involvement with climate change issues. The main objective was to introduce a topic that was high on the global agenda but was not heavily discussed locally in Nigeria, and to explain in non-scientific language the processes and consequences of climate change.

SOCIAL FORESTRY

Between 2001 and 2005 CCDI supported a women’s cooperative in northern Nigeria with an agro forestry project, the establishment of seedling nurseries, and the production of fuel-efficient stoves as an income generating activity. In 2006, a proposed CCDI project, Replacing Firewood with Biogas for Mass Cooking and Environmental Protection won the Peer Choice Award at the World Bank’s Development Marketplace event which took place in Washington DC.

RAINWATER HARVESTING

CCDI has run projects on Rain water Harvesting and Watershed Management which entailed construction of rainwater harvesting systems and capacity building in watershed protection (2000-2003). In 2002 CCDI set up two rainwater harvesting facilities in Igbo-Ora, Oyo state. Another facility was constructed in Mayflower Junior School, Ikenne, Ogun state.

FISH FARMING

CCDI partnered with an entrepreneur in Shagamu, Ogun state to develop a self-sustaining catfish farming project.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

Under this programme CCDI has implemented child-friendly projects that promote alternative environmentally friendly technologies such as composting (to encourage waste recycling and horticulture), rainwater harvesting, and reviving the habit of maintaining gardens in schools. We work directly with schools and have collaborated with UNICEF to run workshops for primary school teachers, training them and facilitating these activities.

RENEWABLE ENERGY

CCDI promotes awareness of the importance of renewable energies. We have been involved in a series of seminars, workshops and roundtable discussions on renewable energy and developed a network of contacts of groups and organisations within Nigeria who are interested in or actively engaged in renewable energy. CCDI was part of the organising committee for Renewable Energies in Nigeria – A Chance for the Future held in October 2006.

Through focus on the promotion of awareness of renewable energies CCDI believes that key areas for poverty alleviation can be tackled. Demonstration projects in resource centers or solar villages can provide pragmatic examples of cleaner renewable energy, such as the development of solar powered cooking stoves, water pumps, heaters, and electricity generation for cottage industries. The impacts of climate change in sub-Saharan Africa mean that less polluting forms of energy must be consumed and that a balance in energy services is essential for sustainable development and poverty reduction. It also highlights the fact that renewable energy is a pre-requisite to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).