Delegates from more than 37 countries have reaffirmed their commitment to advancing the global sustainability agenda as the Global Sustainability Summit & Awards marked its fifth edition at the House of Lords in London.
The summit, convened by Ambassador Canon Otto, FRSA, brought together world leaders, diplomats, policymakers, academics, investors, innovators and sustainability advocates under the theme, “People, Planet and Profit in the Age of AI and Innovation.”
Participants pledged to deepen collaboration on climate action, sustainable development, food security, ethical investment, artificial intelligence and innovation, while strengthening partnerships aimed at accelerating the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
One of the summit’s major highlights was the announcement by Daniel Ronen, founder of a United Kingdom-based drone technology company, that Ambassador Otto is leading a multidisciplinary team of international experts to implement a 200 million tree-planting initiative in Nigeria.
According to Ronen, the project will be implemented across Rivers, Kwara, Oyo and Abia states as part of efforts to restore degraded ecosystems, enhance biodiversity, strengthen food security, increase carbon sequestration and create employment opportunities through sustainable environmental programmes.
The announcement attracted widespread interest from delegates, several of whom expressed willingness to explore partnerships, technical collaboration and investment opportunities to support the initiative.
Delivering the keynote address, Ambassador Otto urged leaders across government, business and civil society to make sustainability the foundation of leadership and decision-making.
“If we are serious about solving the world’s greatest challenges, we must first transform leadership. Leaders are the catalysts of change. Every policy, every investment, every institution and every community is influenced by the decisions of those entrusted to lead. Sustainability must no longer be treated as an option—it must become the foundation of leadership,” he said.
The summit featured high-level discussions on climate change, sustainable development, food security, ethical investment, artificial intelligence, innovation and strategic international partnerships aimed at driving measurable environmental and socio-economic impact.
Among the participants were the First Lady of Kwara State and Chairperson of the Nigeria Governors’ Spouses Forum, Ambassador Professor Olufolake AbdulRazaq; the First Lady of Oyo State, Engr. Tamunominini Olufunke Makinde; the First Lady of Gombe State, Dr Asma’u Inuwa Yahaya; Professor Marie-Claire Cordonier Segger of the University of Cambridge; Professor Payam Akhavan of Massey College, University of Toronto; Dr Alexandra R. Harrington of McGill University Faculty of Law; Dr Md. Abdul Quader, founder of SETU Bangladesh; Hajia Hafasat Oduwole-Balewa, chairman of the Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone; President Mojisola Hunponu-Wusu of Woodhall Capital Group; Nathalie Mindus, co-founder and chief executive officer of Mindus and House of Green Digital; and Ms Oyinkansola Owoyemi, Sustainability Director at Sunbeth Global Concepts.
The organisers said the strong international interest generated by the tree-planting initiative underscored the summit’s growing influence as a platform for promoting sustainability leadership, international cooperation and practical solutions to global environmental challenges as it enters its fifth year.
(The Sun)