How to achieve global development goals, by UNILAG VC

The collaborative efforts of academia, industry and government will only make local and global development goals achievable, the Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, has said.

Prof. Ogunsola said this on Tuesday at the opening of a Circular Economy Round Table meeting in Lagos with theme: ‘Circular Economy Business Models for Sustainable Environment and Global Competitiveness’.

She explained that the round table was collaboration between the University of Lagos and the University of Eastern Finland (UEF) on an initiative tagged: Finland-Lagos Recycling Culture Research and Development Project (F-LRCRDP).

Some of the key challenges facing many nations, the VC said, could only be tackled through joint efforts, with universities playing the key role through research.

Pointing out that one area that called for global concern was tackling national challenges like environmental pollution, she said there was the need for all stakeholders to fight and proffer solutions for the way forward.

Represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic and Research, Prof. Bola Oboh,  the VC said universities were saddled with the responsibility of engaging in research and development to find sustainable solutions to societal needs and enhance national development.

Prof. Ogunsola stated: “In 2022, we began interfacing with the University of Eastern Finland to drive collaborative research and we successfully signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to officially solidify our partnership. This MoU affords us the opportunity to conduct collaborative research where parties shall jointly seek opportunities to conduct scientific research, development, innovation and enterprise in the selected activity sectors of the economy as showcased today in the circular economy round table”.

She further stated that the MoU afforded shared consultancies and collaborative staff development programmes, staff mobility and exchange programmes where parties shall share experiences and best practices on enhancing the quality of teaching and learning.

The VC added: “It will also afford shared learning environment, jointly conduct colloquiums, lectures, seminars and international industrial research fairs. It is against this backdrop that we are hosting the Circular Economy Roundtable as part of the Foundation for Finland-Lagos Recycling Culture Research and Development Project (F- LRCRDP).

“We convene today to deliberate on the circular economy, recycle culture and waste management in Lagos and Finland. We have invited government policy makers, industry players across the value chain and the academia to forge a path to sustainable waste management in Lagos and Finland”.

Also speaking, Prof. Pertti Pasanen from the Department of Environmental Science, University of Eastern Finland, said environmental issues like waste or solid waste management, material efficiency and preventive actions against negative effects of climate change were critical to the university.

Prof. Pasanen said: “One point in our university strategy is rooted in global challenges to which we seek solutions in our profile area, through interdisciplinary research and multidisciplinary education. In order words, UEF has long history and tradition of environmental research and education”.

He pointed out that sustainable development issues were common worldwide “and we observe a principle of sustainable development and sustainable use of natural resources in the university’s  activities”.

As the principal investigator in the project, Pasanen said the collaboration between institutions and countries was critical in the fight against environmental pollution and global warming in order to achieve the much-desired environment, free from all forms of pollution.

According to him, the on-going international collaboration on FLR CRDP was an example of the  university’s effort to participate and support other countries to develop solutions and practices for circular economy.

The Executive Director, University of Lagos Business School, Prof. Mike Adebamowo, in his contribution said with a global circularity gap of over 91 per cent from 100 billion tons of raw materials extracted annually from earth, only about 8.6 per cent  was recovered and reused.

“World Economic Forum (WEF) 2018 reports that Nigeria generates over 32 million tonnes of waste per year, including about 200,000 tonnes of plastic waste.”

Adebamowo, a professor of Architecture and the principal investigator for UNILAG on the Fiinland/UNILAG Circular Economy project, noted that a combination of the circularity gap and huge waste generation had resulted in economic fragility of developing countries.

He, however, said a focused and intentional approach towards circular economy, which triggers the creation of value chains for economic growth, could promote resilient ecosystems in Nigeria, adding that  emissions from the waste sector in Lagos is projected to grow significantly until 2050, due to the city’s rapidly growing population and residents’ rising disposable income and consumption.

He also said: “Despite the projected growth in waste production, Lagos aims to significantly reduce emissions. The largest share of the waste produced in Lagos consists of food waste, 45 per cent, followed by plastics, 15 per cent, paper, 10 per cent,  putrescible materials, eight per cent, fine-grade materials, eight per cent, glass, five per cent, metals, five per cent and textiles, four per cent,”

In his speech, the Director, Monitoring, Compliance and Enforcement, Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, Dr. Kayode Bello, stated that the environment and health were some of the key areas of concern to the state government.

Dr. Bello said the single use of plastics was one of the key areas of challenge the government is working hard to tackle in the state, stating that this single use of plastics had caused a lot of environmental challenges that had led to various forms of environmental hazards.

“We at LASEPA have been working round the block to educate our people on the challenges these single use plastics are causing to the environment because we cannot ban them outrightly. The effective use of these materials is also very important to us because when you look at it, you will notice that those plastics could be used for various things that could create wealth.

“Before now, we have been dealing with a linear economy which is use and dump, but now, with this circular economy in place, we are relieved as nothing is a waste. We now have waste to wealth which is beneficial to us all and, therefore, this project by the university of Lagos and URF is very commendable as it will expose us to better environmental future”, Bello further said.

Dean, Faculty of Environmental Sciences of the University, Prof. Modupe Omirin,  who  said the institution was concerned about the future of the environment, stated that the quality of the environment must be improved upon so as to impact on human lives.

Prof. Omirin said: “We are concerned about our environment, not just the build environment, in terms of building, but quality environment because these things create value and also create health hazards”.

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