The Reality and Challenges of Climate Change in Nigeria

By Dr. Akpan Micah Umoh

 

All over the world, geographers and other environmental scientists have been most vocal on issues of climate change and their consequences on the ecosystem of the earth.

Studies by United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the United States Academy of Science have concluded that the global atmosphere is warming. Indeed, the conference on climate change which was held in Copenhagen is a testimony to this reality of our time.

Though the developed countries spend energies at the conference which did not achieve much-on game and shifting of responsibilities, none the less, they all agreed on the reality that man is the culprit of climate change and he must do something to mitigate it.

Even if mitigation efforts are successful in reducing greenhouse gas emissions , they cannot prevent climate change. The greenhouse gases humans have already added to the atmosphere will likely continue to drive global climate for centuries to come.

The consequences of this phenomenon includes but not limited to rise in sea level and sea temperature, changes in dynamics of ocean currents , continental air mass movement, desertification , changing rainfall pattern, flooding climate for centuries to come.

The challenges to Nigeria are multifaceted because of her geographical location, being in between the rising sea level of the Atlantic in the South and the fast encroaching Sahara desert in the north - this challenge has already wiped out substantial portions of what used to be Lake Chad , with no hiding place left for the country. 

Nigeria's peculiar circumstances makes it imperative that issues of climate change and its attendant challenges must be taken more seriously by not only the government, but indeed all Nigerians.

Since the climate change won't stop anytime soon, then decision makers especially legislators must begin to adopt what is called sustainable legislation on issues such as gas flaring, deforestation, excessive dependent on fossil fuels and use of ozone depleting substance like Freon gases (Chlorofluorocarbons) in industrial processes , with a view to reducing greenhouse gases.

The continental air mass from Sahara desert will cause sand storm and desert encroachment in the north, while the changing pattern of rainfall will obviously complicate challenges of flooding and gully erosion in the fragile land mass of the South East. Rise in sea level will lead to hydraulic modifications such as upward shift in the high tide marks and consequent flooding in coastal communities of the South.

The impact of all these will so adversely affect agriculture and aquaculture as plants and animals will have to adapt or face extinction and succession by new species as is always the case in major global environment changes.

Recently the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that ecological funds be given directly to the states to enable them key-into the ways of addressing some of these challenges.  Legislations must be put in place to make for institutionalized frameworks that create checkpoints on how funds are managed.

Projects like sustainable coastal embankments, reclamation, mangrove and rain forest management , and establishment of sea level monitoring stations for greater understanding of climate change trend should be considered for various locations in the coastal regions of not only Nigeria but indeed Africa as whole . 

Reforestation programmes of massive tree-planting campaigns and sand storm barriers should be well funded in the sahelian regions of Nigeria and other West African State , while strategic erosion control programmes based on best practices should be articulated in the South East.

While Nigeria makes efforts to control these environmental problems, it is necessary to carry neighbouring countries along in the planning.  For example, to control desertification in Northern Nigeria without including Chad and Niger Republic will amount to exercise in futility.  The industrial world should also be made to contribute to a special fund for African countries for programmes such as sustainable coastal embankment and the control of desertification.

A stitch in time, they say, saves nine. If the world is to have any environment for the citizenry, the time to go beyond mere lip service is now as tomorrow might be too late.