CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NIGERIA: THE REASON for FLOODING IN LAGOS STATE AND DESERTIFICATION IN NORTHERN NIGERIA—By Drake Omonode

CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN NIGERIA: THE REASON for FLOODING IN LAGOS STATE AND DESERTIFICATION IN NORTHERN NIGERIA—By Drake Omonode

INTRODUCTION

What is climate change?

Climate change

Climate change is the rise in average surface temperatures on Earth, mostly due to the burning of fossil fuels. In another vein, Climate change, also called global warming, refers to the rise in average surface temperatures on Earth. An overwhelming scientific consensus maintains that climate change is due primarily to the human use of fossil fuels, which releases carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the air. The gases trap heat within the atmosphere, which can have a range of effects on ecosystems, including rising sea levels, severe weather events, and droughts that render landscapes more susceptible to wildfires.

Climate change here again can be referred to as a change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns when that change lasts for an extended period of time (i.e., decades to millions of years). Climate change may refer to a change in average weather conditions, or in the time variation of weather around longer-term average conditions (i.e., more or fewer extreme weather events). Climate change is caused by factors such as biotic processes, variations in solar radiation received by Earth, plate tectonics, and volcanic eruptions. Certain human activities have been identified as primary causes of ongoing climate change, often referred to as global warming.

THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN NIGERIA

Climate change refers to an increase in average global temperatures. Natural events and human activities are believed to be contributing to an increase in average global temperatures. This is caused primarily by increases in greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (co₂). Nigeria is experiencing adverse climate conditions with negative impacts on the welfare of millions of people. Persistent droughts and flooding, off season rains and dry spells have sent growing seasons out of orbit, on a country dependent on a rain fed agriculture. Alarm bells are ringing with lakes drying up and a reduction in river flow in the arid and semi arid region. The result is fewer water supplies for use in agriculture, hydro power generation and other users. The main suspect for all this havoc is climate change. Scientific studies show snows are disappearing rapidly. Climate change has been confirmed following release of the 4^th ipcc assessment report. Africa will be worst hit by the effects of climate change which Nigeria is part of it

The agricultural sector contributes some percentage of the Nigerian gross national product and majority of the rural populace are employed in this sector. The dominant role of agriculture makes it obvious that even minor climate deteriorations can cause devastating socioeconomic consequences. Policies to curb the climate change by reducing the consumption of fossil fuels like oil, gas or carbon, have significant economical impacts on the producers or rather the

Suppliers of these fuels. Nigeria is the eighth largest oil supplier in the world and the ninth largest deposits of gas. The Nigerian national economy would be massively affected by a sustainable reduction of fossil energy consumption. Nigeria is practically a monoculture: about 80% of the government income, 90-95% of the export earnings and more than 90% of the foreign exchange revenues evolve from the oil sector. However, during the last years the government of Nigeria tried to diversify. Special attention is nowadays paid to gas which emerges in the joint-production of oil. So far the gas has mainly been flared (75%), simply due to the lack of technical facilities to make use of it.

A study commissioned by the World Bank in 2007 Nigeria accounts for roughly one-sixth of the world-wide gas flaring which in turn, spews some 400 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. However, the World Bank survey has listed Nigeria and 15 other oil producers, as countries that have progressively reduced gas flaring. Following the Kyoto-protocol is a double-edged sword for Nigeria: the probably positive long term effects on the climate change are opposed to the negative short term effects for the economic development. Observing the Kyoto-protocol would reduce the income of the opec – states, amongst them Nigeria, about 25% until 2010. This would be a catastrophe for the Nigerian development plan.

The countries politics and public discussions are barely addressing the mentioned problems. The last two years were so much dominated by the internal questions of power that political issues as regards content or even specific problems like the climate change would not have attracted real attention outside the circle of environment experts or ngos. In terms of short term development policy more urgent worries exist and strategic foresight is not a fixed part of politics in the country. Furthermore, the climate change and its problems and solution strategies do not generate great publicity effects as they are too complex for rather superficial political talks. Nigeria’s development plan does not recognize the economical threat caused by the climate change nor the menace of declining oil prices which could result from a reduced consumption of fossil fuel

In the arid zones, droughts are getting worse and climate uncertainty is growing, climate change is an unprecedented and threat to food security. Arid and semi-arid areas in northern Nigeria are becoming drier, while the southern part of the country are getting wetter, global warming means that many dry areas are going to get drier and wet areas are going to get wetter. They are going to be caught between the devil of drought and the deep blue seas of floods. However, “great tragedy” and Nigeria had played virtually no role in global warming; a problem was caused by economic activity of the rich, industrial countries. Unless climate change was tackled all the “best efforts” to help this great country could come to nothing.  One of the biggest threats is growing climate unpredictability, which makes subsistence farming difficult. But a better planning to reduce the risk from disasters, together with developing agricultural practices that can withstand changing climates, have been shown to work and could help mitigate the impact if use more widely

The impact of the change will be difficult to handle and it will be potentially very long lasting. “it is very serious,” two things, the scientific evidence on global warming is strengthening daily, and there are risks over and above those that are usually considered.  The disproportionate

Impact on Nigeria will be for a combination of reasons. Global warming will be greater over land than over sea because land retains heat more than water. There is also increasing evidence that it will be particularly hit by the effect of vertical rises and falls in air currents. Climate change often appears very esoteric but in Nigeria, it’s real. We already have an increasing incidence of disease, declining agricultural productivity, and a rising number of heat waves. There is glaring evidence that climate change is not only happening but it’s changing our lives. Declining rainfall in already desert-prone areas in northern Nigeria is causing increasing desertification, the former food basket in central Nigeria is now empty, and people in the coastal areas who used to depend on fishing have seen their livelihoods destroyed by the rising waters. Adapting to climate variability and mitigating its impacts is something that we do in our everyday lives, but we have to understand what climate change is, that we contribute to it, and how we can adapt and reduce our vulnerabilities

An urgent attention or something needs to be done about global warming and climate change. First, there is a need to suggest a mechanism for tackling climate change and global warming, the idea of using carbon sinks to soak up carbon dioxide. For instance reforestation or planting of new forests, this is a popular strategy for the logging industry and nations with large forests interests like Nigeria. Climate change is a global phenomenon, and is evident in Nigeria. The negative impacts of climate change such as temperature rise, erratic rainfall, sand storms, desertification, low agricultural yield; drying up of water bodies and flooding are real in the desert prone eleven front line states of Nigeria. Environmental degradation and attendant desertification are major threats to the livelihoods of the inhabitants of the frontline states of Nigeria. This leads to increasing population pressure, intensive agricultural land use, overgrazing, bush burning, extraction of fuel wood and other biotic resources. Women and children are particularly the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Climate change is really of great concern to our nation. Government should improve their financial status towards the solution of findings on this issue. Inadequate funds hamper progress in achieving Nigeria’s objectives on climate change. The Nigerian government and all the stakeholders involves in the global phenomenon needs to increase public awareness, promote research and establish a commission or an agency that will handle issues related to global warming and climate change. The federal, state and local government, international agencies and other development partners are required to funds climate change projects in Nigeria for sustainable solution

A NEW APPROACH TO ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

Environmental education must develop a conception of ecology that establishes a link between the natural and the social world. Thus it is important to set some definite guidelines for the configuration of a new programme of learning in environmental education with this in mind there are some guidelines we believe are essential to a successful environmental educational programme

Emphasis on the Educational sector

Worldwide it is still it is still an accepted fact that the school is the best channel for proper socialization and value orientation of young individuals into the society and that makes it the most popular means of teaching and learning of national ideals and teaching of what a nation considers worthwhile. It wont be out of place but very sacrosanct if one or all of these are inculcated into the educational curriculum for Nigerian schools

1.       Environmental education clubs/associations ; clubs with environmental safety and consciousness aims should be created at all educational levels to foster the sensitization on the awareness of environmental hazards and environmental implications for our monoculture economy

2.       Environmental projects: based on the urgency to tackle such problems on environment due to the vast damage it has already plagued the country with, it is now necessary as a way of alleviating these problems that students at all levels should be made to plant trees at the beginning of their academic years and nurture it as it sprouts as they will be made to show their success at the end of their schooling programme

3.       Media jingles ; the educational sectors should do more of radio jingles on the sensitization of the public on the health implications of their various environmental practices in another vein, practices that will help curb environmental menace should also be encouraged

4.       Environmental subjects in school: due to its urgency it is also necessary we now have environmental subjects in all levels of schooling including the tertiary institutions and all other certificate awarding bodies. It should somewhat fall under the category of general courses/studies

Environmental task force: academic experts should co-opted into various committees as task force personnel to help sensitize penalize and charge any defaulter of constituted environmental laws

Emphasis on social implications

Emphasize the social implication of the ecological crisis the effect of desertification storage of water and the food crisis will impact poorer part of the globe disproportionately. For instance the poor will have more difficulty finding reliable alternative sources of water and food as well as gaining access to medical care and emergency help in cases of natural disaster in this context, the effect of hurricane Katrina on New Orleans serves as a highly symbolic warning

Restricting human activities detrimental to the environment

Finally, for the nation to survive, it is pertinent that the present environment protection and enlightenment campaign should and ought to impose restrictions on emissions and exposure of greenhouse gaseous substances and persons should engage in economic activities that create wealth and lead to technological advancement

Causes of Climate Change

Climate change is already happening and represents one of the greatest environments, social and economic threats facing the planet. It is the increase in the average temperature of the earth’s near – surface air and oceans since the mid – 20th century and its projected continuation. Causes of climate change are attributed to historical and archaeological evidence, greenhouse gases, human activity, solar variation, orbital irregularities, and land use.

Greenhouse Gases (GHG)

Greenhouse gases are produced mainly by the burning of fossil fuels. The GHG effect is the process by which absorption and emission of infrared radiation by gases in the atmosphere warm a plant’s lower atmosphere and surface. Naturally, occurring ghgs have a mean warming effect of about 33 oc (59of) – The major GHG forcing contributions include:

Water vapour which causes about 36-70%, Carbon dioxide (CO2) which causes 9-26%,

Methane (CH4) which causes 4-9% (enteric fermentation), Clouds – composed of liquid water or ice, and Nitrous oxide from fertilizer.

Aerosols

Aerosols are small particles or droplets suspended in the atmosphere. Sources of aerosols are; biomass burning such as slashes and burn deforestation. Aerosols produced are primarily black carbon; Industrial air pollution, which produces soot and airborne sulfates, nitrates and ammonium; Dust produced by land use effects such as desertification. These aerosols exert a cooling effect by increasing the reflection of incoming sunlight.

Human Activity

Presently, the scientific consensus on climate change is that human activity is very likely the cause for the rapid increase in global average temperatures over the past several decades. The crucial component that causes a greenhouse gave such as CO2, Methane, Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC’s), and Nitrous Oxideto be released into the atmosphere is human activity. The burning of fossil fuels (i.e. Non renewable resources such as coal, oil and natural gas) has significant effect on the warming of the atmosphere (Archer 2005; Mc Michel, Woodruff and Hales 2006). The heavy use of power plants, cars, airplanes, buildings and other man-made structures release CO2 into the atmosphere and contribute to global warming. The report of U.S.A. National Academy of Science (2007) emphasized that “Greenhouse gases are accumulating in Earth’s atmosphere as a result of human activities, causing surface air temperatures and subsurface ocean temperatures to rise. Temperatures are in fact, rising”. 142 Sofoluwe, Abayomi Olumade

Orbital Irregularities

Slight variations in Earth’s orbit lead to changes in the amount of sunlight reaching the Earth’s surface and how it is distributed across the globe. The three types of orbital variations are variations in Earth’s eccentricity; changes in the tilt angle of Earth’s axis of rotation; and precession of Earth’s axis.

Combined together, these produce Milankovitch cycles which have a large impact on climate change, are notable for their correlation to glacial and interglacial periods (Gale 1989; Solomon 2009).

Land Use

Another cause of global warming is the land-use changes such as deforestation. When forest land is destroyed, carbon dioxide is released into the air thus, increasing the long wave radiation and trapped heat. As we lose millions of acres of rainforest a year, the nation is also losing wildlife habitat, natural environment. Furthermore, worldwide, livestock production occupies 70% of all land used for agriculture, or 30% of the ice-free land surface of the Earth. FAO (2007) attributes more than 18% of anthropogenic to livestock and livestock – related activities. Specific attributions to the livestock sector include: 9% of global carbon dioxide emissions; 35-40% of global methane emission and 64% of nitrous oxide emissions.

Volcanism

Volcanism is a process of conveying material from the crust and mantle of the Earth to its surface. Volcanic eruptions, geysers and hot springs, are example of volcanic processes which releases gases into the atmosphere.

EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Climate change manifests in a number of ways. The environmental effects of climate change include: environmental, social, economic, oceanic acidification, melting of the polar ice gaps, albedo, monitoring and publicity and climate conventions (Boulanger 2008; La Revere 2002; Solomon et al. 2009).

Environmental Effect

The increase in the warming of the atmospheric has significant effects on both natural environment and human life. Obvious effects include glacial retreat, arctic shrinkage and worldwide sea level rise. As climate changes, everything changes from the natural habitats of wildlife to the culture and sustainability of a region. IPCC (2001) reported that glacial retreat, ice shelf, disruption, such as that of the sea level rise, changes in rainfall patterns and increased intensity and frequency of extreme weather events are attributable in part to climate change. Other expected effects include water scarcity in some Climate Change and Sustainable Development in Nigeria 143 regions and increased precipitation in others, changes in mountain snowpack and some adverse health effects from warmer temperature (Wana 2010; SDN 2004).

Social Effects

The social effect is exacerbated by growing population densities in affected areas. Temperature regions are projected to experience some benefits such as fewer cold – related deaths. There is an increase in intense tropical cyclone activity in the North Atlantic Ocean in correlation with the increase in the surface temperature. Anticipated effects include: sea level rise of 0.18 to 0.59 metres; new trade routes resulting from arctic shrinkage; possible thermohalline circulation slowing; increasingly intense (but less frequent) hurricanes and extreme weather events; reduction in the ozone layer; changes in agricultural yields; increased atmospheric CO2 increases to amount of CO2 dissolved in the ocean and changes in the range of climate dependent disease vectors which has been linked to increase in prevalence of malaria and dengue fever and ocean oxygen depletion (Michel et al. 2006).

Economic Effect

IPCC (2001) reveals that the average social cost of carbon is US $ 12 per tonne of CO2. Extreme weather might reduce global gross domestic product by up to 1% and that in a worst – case scenario global per capital consumption could fall by the equivalent of 20% (DNEP 2002) opines that economic sectors likely to face difficulties related to climate change include: banks, agriculture, transport and other developing countries dependent upon agriculture will be particularly harmed by global warming.

Melting of the Polar Ice Caps

One of the most obvious effects of global warming involves the melting of the polar ice caps. According to Archer (2005) there are 5,773,000 cubic miles of water: ice caps, glaciers and permanent snow on our planet. As these continue to melt, sea levels rise. Rising sea levels are also caused by expanding ocean water, melting mountain glaciers, and the ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica melting or sliding into the oceans. Rising sea levels result in coastal erosion, coastal flooding, increased salinity of rivers, bays and aquifers and shoreline retreat. With the continuous melting of ice, there will be less habitat opportunities and a risk in extinction of the species. Furthermore, as Carbon Dioxide emissions increases, the ocean becomes more acidic. This acidification affects everything from an organism’s ability to absorb nutrients to changes in chemical equilibrium and therefore natural marine habitats (Lindzen 2005).

If global warming continues to melt glaciers in the Polar Regions, as expected, the supply of freshwater may actually increase. Freshwater from the melting glaciers will mingle with salt water in the oceans and become too salty to drink. The increased ocean violence will cause sea level to rise, contaminating freshwater to sources along coastal regions with seawater (Ponce 2008).

STRATEGIES FOR THE SUSTAINABILITY OF CLIMATE CHANGE

Increase in temperature has led some nations, states, corporations and individuals to implement strategies for the sustainability of climate change. These include mitigation, adaptation, geoengineering, economic cost, politics and monitoring, desalinization, United Nations Environmental Programme Building Nigeria Responses to climate change, national Carbon credit Train and Greenwalls and African Union (AU). 144 Sofoluwe, Abayomi Olumade

Mitigation

Mitigation of global warming is accomplished through reductions in the rate of anthropogenic greenhouse gas released. In the case of Nigeria, mitigation measures should include rebuilding and reintroducing rail transport in order to reduce the present massive use of long distance travel using buses, re-arranging urban transportation to introduce car-free zones and urban mass transit system, massive electrification of the entire country to reduce the use of generating sets. Efforts should be made to put an end to the present illegal practices of gas flaring in our oil fields in the Niger Delta and establishing a nationwide programme of re-afforestation.

Adaptation

A wide variety of measures have been suggested for adaptation to global warming. These measures include installation of air conditioning equipment, infrastructure projects, such as abandoning settlements threatened by sea level rise. Other measures include water conservation, water rationing, adaptive agricultural practices, construction of flood defences.

Geoengineering

Geoengineering is the deliberate modification of Earth’s natural environment on a large scale to suit human needs. An example is greenhouse gas remediation, which removes greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, usually through carbon dioxide air capture. Solar radiation management reduces absorbed solar radiation through painting roofs of houses white.

Companies Investing in Water (Desalinization)

The world’s population is growing rapidly. The Untied Nations estimates that the world population – approximately 6.5 billion in 2006 will grow to 9.4 billion by 2050. As a way of strategizing, environmental stakeholders should invest in desalinization and purification of water.

Building Nigeria’s Responses Climate Change (BNRCC)

The BNRCC is build to informed responses to climate change in Nigeria by enhancing capacity at the community, state and national levels for the implementation of effective adaptation strategies, policies and action, an improved livelihood, health, access to national resource, equality and governance. The BNRCC project is funded by the CIDA and will be managed by the consortium of CUSO and Marbek Resource Consultants both in Ottawa Canada (www.cuso.org and www.marbek.ca). It will be implemented in partnership with the Nigerian Environmental Study Action.

The National Carbon Credit Train Centre

It aimed at stakeholders groups from the rural and urban poor to policy – makers and managers in the public and private sectors and help them better understand the nature and benefit of climate change for developing countries and the forms of mitigation which are possible in their specific contexts. Key players in the activities include: Federal Ministry of Employment; Clean energy Global Systems Limited; The Environment Communications; CDM Consultants; Bank and other financial institutions; Decentralized Renewable Energy (DRE); Product Manufacturers; Reduced Emissions for Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) and Consultant (Avuru 2009).

Green Walls and African Union (AU) Challenge

The AU met in Libya in 2006 to endorse the Green Wall Sahara Programme for 23 African countries affected by drought and desertification with the overall objective of controlling land degradation, enhancing environmental sustainability, promoting integrated natural resource management contributing to poverty reduction as well as creating job and wealth.

Climate Conventions

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) came into being in 1992 in order to prevent any dangerous disruption of climate. In order to strengthen this convention, the Kyoto Protocol was signed in 1997 entering into force in 2005, after bitter negotiations. The Kyoto protocol provides for penalties if a country does not achieve its reduction target. Another convention is the Copenhagen COP – MOP. This is an environment in which countries meet to discuss action to tackle climate change. The COP – MOP stands for Conference of the Parties – Meeting of the Parties Meaning Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC and Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (World Summit 2005).

United Nations Governmental Programme (UNGP) helps developing countries to reduce vulnerabilities and build resilience to the impact of climate change. UNGP supports national efforts to integrate climate change adaptation measures into development of planning and ecosystem management practices. It provides guidance and advice to government on reducing GHG emissions and preparing for the consequences of changed climate, and to develop international agreements on climate change.

CONCLUSION

In this paper, an attempt has been made to look at the facts of climate change and sustainable development. Climate change encompasses rising temperature (global warming), changes in other meteorological (changing wind precipitation patterned), oceanic parameters (rising sea level, acidification and sea currents) and biodiversity. Strategies in achieving climate change for sustainable development include mitigation, adaptation, geoengineering, publicity and monitoring, economic cost, companies investing in water or desalinization and climate conventions. Therefore government should establish a climate change advisory unit within the Ministry of Science and Technology. Government should work in collaboration with institutions, private sectors, the scientific community and Non Governmental Agencies. An agency should be set up to work for the actualization of diverting from oil to Ethanol Programme. The use of ethanol is to reduce gasoline use as a car fuel. To bring climate change to a halt, global greenhouse gases emissions must be reduced significantly.

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