Lagos moves to turn transport data into carbon finance

Lagos State is embarking on a significant initiative to measure emissions from its transport system, a move intended to quantify the climate benefits of its mass transit investments and tap into emerging carbon-financing opportunities. This effort is a joint undertaking between the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) and the Lagos State Office of Climate Change and Circular Economy.

The collaboration focuses on creating a dependable system for measuring transport-related emissions. This is particularly crucial as Lagos continues to expand its electric mobility, rail transportation, and other lower-emission mass transit options. LAMATA's Managing Director, Engr Abimbola Akinajo, stressed that credible emissions data is essential for assessing the environmental impact of the state's transport investments and identifying further avenues for carbon reduction.

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Reliable data would be critical to measuring the environmental impact of transport investments, identifying further opportunities for emissions reduction and positioning Lagos to benefit from emerging global climate-financing mechanisms.

Akinajo noted that the state's growing portfolio of electric and low-emission public transport projects provides a solid foundation for Lagos to pursue its climate objectives while simultaneously enhancing mobility for millions of commuters. She believes that the transport sector can yield more than just mobility advantages if Lagos develops the necessary systems to measure and verify its environmental achievements. The Special Adviser to the Governor on Climate Change, Titilayo Oshodi, underscored the necessity for Lagos to establish a verified, single source of carbon data, especially given the state's increasing commitment to electric mobility and low-carbon transport infrastructure.

During discussions, the DecarbonIQ Intelligence Platform was demonstrated. This technology is designed to measure, monitor, and manage carbon emissions across transport networks, offering an emissions-reduction advisory function. A key aspect highlighted was the platform's connection to Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, which facilitates international cooperation on climate targets through transferable mitigation outcomes and carbon markets. Oshodi identified transportation as a strategic sector within the state's climate agenda, making reliable emissions data indispensable for evaluating the effectiveness of ongoing investments.

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The engagement therefore moves the conversation around Lagos’ transport decarbonisation beyond the deployment of electric buses, rail infrastructure and other cleaner mobility options to the question of how the re