The Air Quality Management Resource Centre (AQMRC) was invited to participate in a specially convened seminar on ‘Prospects for Air Quality and Carbon Management in Nigeria’. This seminar was part of an existing strategic partnership between the University of the West of England (UWE), Bristol and University of Lagos (UNILAG), Nigeria, in creating more research collaborations and funding opportunities towards environmental policy development. The seminar was therefore aimed at facilitating discussion towards a shift in policy, practice and governance of air quality and carbon management in Nigeria.
Jim and Dotun gave five invited presentations at this seminar which was held at the University of Lagos, UNILAG on Tuesday 22 February 2011. The seminar was attended by more than 60 participants during the morning and afternoon workshops. The participants comprised of academic and research staffs, including postgraduate students from the faculties of science, engineering and social sciences.
The presentations by Jim highlighted the lessons of air quality management framework in the UK, and the expertise of AQMRC in facilitating such framework at the local, national and international levels. Particular attention was drawn to the involvement of AQMRC in developing South African national air quality management framework. Dotun gave a presentation on “the case for national air quality management framework in Nigeria” which provided an overview of existing evidence from studies on the state of urban air pollution in major cities in Nigeria. The presentations initiated dialogue with the participants on the capacity and capability development for monitoring and modelling air pollution in Nigeria.
There is substantial enthusiasm from the participants at this seminar to work together in various capacities towards developing effective air quality management framework in Nigeria. It was agreed that the summary of the programmes of actions agreed during the seminar should be widely distributed in order to promote further interests and actions.
