National Wire About Nigerians, Nigerian Business and Other Stories
Citizens around the world can join the Climathon movement and take part in a 24-hour global hackathon to find solutions to Lagos’s climate challenges.
Organised by Climate-KIC, Climathon brings together the challenges of the world’s cities with the people who have the passion and ability to solve them. The 2017 edition of the global 24-hour climate change hackathon takes place simultaneously in major cities around the world on 27 October and is set to be the biggest event of its kind in history. In Lagos, the event takes place from 9:am until 14:00 on the 28th and will focus on solving urban challenges. It is being organised by Green Fellowship, ELRI, GIDI, Syspera, NERAG, and Nature Cares at MRC Hall, Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM) 1-5 Oba Akinjobi Way, G.R.A., Ikeja.
The Challenge: Integrating ICT in Urban Transitions: Transforming Lagos to a Smart City
Today, population growth and increasing urbanisation in Lagos has significantly outnumbered social infrastructures such as mobility and health and has placed an increasing demand on energy, environmental and social resources. Currently, Lagos cannot meet its numerous municipal and industrial energy demands due to poor energy infrastructure. Also, Lagos has been faced with climate change related threats such as air pollution, increase in temperature, storm surge, sea level rise and severe flooding — all of which have resulted in loss of lives and properties.
While these are current challenges confronting Lagos, future population growth would even pose bigger challenges. It is projected that by 2050, Nigeria will emerge as the third most populous nation in the world and half of these population will reside in major cities like Lagos. As result of the above, there is a need to provide a holistic approach that ensures the provision of clean and efficient energy systems, tackles issues relating to the environment, waste management, mobility as well as health.
