SDG action group unveils 34 finalists for award on innovative climate solutions

Creative Youth Community Development Initiative (CYCDI) in collaboration with United Nations Information Centre for Nigeria (UNIC) has presented 34 finalists for #NaijaClimateNow, a campaign on innovative climate solutions.

The SDG action group unveiled the finalists during a press conference in Lagos on Tuesday.

The #NaijaClimateNow campaign is under the Solution17 for Climate Action initiative of CYCDI.

The list of finalists includes innovators, secondary school students, and renewable energy entrepreneurs.

Foluke Michael, project director of CYCDI – Solution17 for Climate Action, said the campaign received 420 applications and 34 finalists were “meticulously selected after thorough screening exercises”.

She added that “62% of the applicants are from the south-west of the country, 22% from north-central, 5% from the north-west, while the south-south and south-east contribute 6% each”.

“These are the people we will bring to our innovation hub in November to rethink the solution that we are going to showcase towards COP26 and 2030 agenda and beyond,” she said.

Some of the finalists spoke about the impact they hope to make with their innovations and ideas.

Anjolaoluwa Olanrewaju, one of the selected artists, painted a post-apocalyptic world devastated by climate change.

“The world is just recovering from COVID-19, and we’re still tackling the challenge that’s limiting the impact of climate change. Let me take you through an imaginary journey: imagine a world without oxygen, a place where you can breathe and drown in your habitat,” she said.

“And the rain that gives you joy turns into sadness acid that causes harm to you, your family and the food you eat. So what do we do about it? Do we fold our arms? I won’t, and I can’t. So that’s why I will paint for the truth.”

Fisayo Adeyemi, one of the finalists, said Nigeria must find alternative ways of producing energy to curb carbon dioxide emissions.

“As I was walking into this compound, I took a look at the building under construction on my left side, they have three massive generators, and they are going to be pumping tons of kilogrammes of carbon dioxide into Lagos air. People will breathe it in and develop some problems,” he said.

“Why can’t we design systems fundamentally in a way that works. Even if polluting the environment was good, we still have to find alternative ways to produce energy.”