Cablegate: Nigerian Green Governors Sign Climate Change

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DEPARTMENT FOR AF, AF/EPS, AF/W, AND EEB/ESC DAS HENGEL
STATE PASS TO USTDA-PAUL MARTIN, EXIM-JRICHTER AND KJACKSON
STATE PASS TO USTR-AGAMA
STATE PASS TO OPIC
TREASURY FOR IERONIMO AND BARCAN
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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON SENV ENRG PREL PGOV NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIAN GREEN GOVERNORS SIGN CLIMATE CHANGE
DECLARATION

1. (U) Governors Babtunde Fashola and Emmanuel Uduaghan of
Lagos and Delta states, respectively, have agreed with global
counterparts to work together to promote clean
transportation, support national climate change legislation,
include forests in climate policy development, and recognize
the role of sub-national governments in global climate
agreement talks set for Copenhagen in December. Their
declaration came at the second Governors' Global Climate
Summit, held September 30-October 2 in Los Angeles. Senior
staff from the offices of the two state governors have
confirmed their participation.

2. (SBU) In Lagos, there are several real or prospective
projects that address the climate change issue. First and
foremost are power projects that are slated to use natural
gas and municipal waste. These power plants will be based
near industrial clusters so as to be able to wire directly
into the businesses operations. Lagos is considering a light
rail project in which GE technology was chosen. In Delta
state, the governor wants multinational oil companies
operating there to use more environmentally-friendly
technologies. Elsewhere, there is a movement in the telecom
industry to consider solar and wind power to provide
electricity to their many towers throughout Nigeria. Current
legislation makes it difficult to install wind power
generators, since only the turbine itself is considered
"green" technology, and only the turbine is thereby given
preferential tax treatment.

3. (SBU) The United States Trade Development Agency is
studying the feasibility of energy efficient cell towers.
Motorola has already had some success in rural Nigeria
partnering with cell tower owner and operator IHS.
Infrastructure is the key to combating climate change in
Nigeria from a working electrical grid to offload solar,
wind, and other types of electricity to roads that can handle
express buses and light rail.
WALSH

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