Question G: “Do you think that the lifestyle of the inhabitants of your town or city reflects behavior that is in line with the concept

of sustainable development? In your opinion, what should be improved?”

By: Olanrewaju Wilton-Waddell

Outline:

• The concept of sustainable development

• Few facts about Lagos

• Overpopulation: A major issue

• The life style of the inhabitants of Lagos in relation to sustainable development

• My personal opinion of what should be improved

Sustainable Development

• “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

-World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED)

• “Sustainable development is the ability of a country to progress economically, socially and politically without depleting its natural resources.”

Aspects of Sustainable Development

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

ECONOMIC NEEDS

- Continuous Economic Growth

- Industrial Growth

-Agricultural Growth

-Household Needs

ENVIRONMENTAL NEEDS

-Pollution (Contaminated water,

polluted air)

- Natural Resources

- Recycling

SOCIAL NEEDS

- Equity

- Education & Training

-Access to family planning

- Health Care

- Basic Infrastructure

Did you know?

1. Lagos is the smallest state, yet the most populous city in Nigeria.

2. Lagos is the largest city in Africa.

3. Lagos is the fastest growing city in Africa with a population of only 7.7million inhabitants in 1990 to a population of over 21million inhabitants today.

4. The rate of poverty in Lagos is very high, and has increased 7 fold from 6.27% in 1996 to 47% in 2013

Overpopulation: A major issue

- Estimates suggest that by 2020, Lagos will become the 3rd most populous city in the world.

- High levels of populationgrowth relative to theresources available andinfrastructure in place.

- This hinders sustainable development

The lifestyle of Lagosians in relation to sustainable development:

- To sum it up, the lifestyle of a typical Lagosian reflects poorly on

what sustainable development should resemble in terms of the environmental, social issues and the economy

- There are many issues. Such as: weak Law enforcement, Bribery and Corruption, Poor refuse disposal methods (resulting in pollution), Numerous cars and Unnecessary use of cars (fuel wastage), Little or no recycling, Dumping of waste near residential areas (neglect of the environment), High usage of generators, Improper Hygiene, Import dependent lifestyle

Social Issues Poor infrastructure: This stems from bribery, corruption and misdirected use of

revenue as government officials embezzle money and diverts funds to their personal use. Such poor infrastructure includes bad roads, poor power supply, inadequate health care, poor transport systems.

Such corruption and poor infrastructure exacerbates poverty as the poor do not have access to basic amenities such as health care and basic education. The results out of school children.

Environmental Issues

Pollution: The inhabitants of Lagos have a poor attitude towards their environment and surroundings:

Examples:

1. Dumping of waste near residential areas resulting in pollution.

2. No recycling is being done.

3. Unnecessary use of non-eco friendly cars resulting in excess carbon monoxide in the air.

Economic Issues

Import Dependent Lifestyle: Majority of the goods used by Lagosians are imported from other countries. From cars, to clothes to basic food. This is unsustainable in the long run and harms our domestic markets. In addition, it puts pressure on our foreign reserves and depletes the value of our currency.

What should be improved?

• Government should make basic education and health affordable and accessible to all inhabitantsSocial Issues

• Government should enforce policies which promote recycling

• There should be more environmental regulations in place

• The use of more environmentally friendly cars should be encouraged(e.g. Hybrid Cars)

• Alternative modes of transportation can also be used. E.g. walking or cycling.

• Creating awareness of the importance of hygiene (via conferences/orientation programmes)

• There should be waste management systems that collect waste

Environemtal Issues

• Major sectors of the economy such as manufacturing and agriculture which are being neglected should be developed as these sectors could generate more revenue and provide more jobs

• Government policies to encourage exports

Economic Issues

THANK YOU.