Ifijeh Oisahoin
29 September 2008
Lagos — In an effort to seek solution to the effects of climate change in Africa, the Coalition for Climate Change in Africa (CCCA) recently organised a conference in Northampton, London. Ifijeh Oisahoin, who was at the event, writes on the need for African leaders to take concerted action
Recent research reveals that climate change threat is greater in Africa than in many parts of the world. On the average, the continent is 0.5°C warmer than it was 100 years ago. The changing weather patterns disaster conditions are already creating new complex emergencies where poorer countries are continually affected by drought and floods, often accompanied by outbreaks of infectious diseases such as cholera and Rift Valley Fever, which were thought to have been eradicated, have now re-appeared making many communities live by almost permanent disaster conditions.
These were the issues during a conference organised by the Coalition for Climate Change in Africa (CCCA) recently in Northampton. The event brought together stakeholders, government officials and others to brainstorm on the solutions and way forward for the effects of climate change in African countries.
The most visible effects of climate change, according to majority of participants is famine, which is brought on by drought and floods.
Changes in climate are driven by natural and human-induced activities of the earth's energy balance. These climate drivers include variations in greenhouse gases, aerosols, land use, and the amount of energy earth receives from the sun.
But speaking at the conference which had high presence of Nigerian participants, Chairman, committee on Environment and Ecology, Senator Grace Bent said the issue of climate change is the most frightening phenomenon in the world today, adding that the Nigerian government cannot stand alone watching helplessly while other nations are taking initiatives to make sure they combat the effect of climate change.
Bent called on all stakeholders in public and private sectors to join hands in finding a lasting solution to combat the effect of climate change on lives and the economy. She, however, said that Nigeria was not adequately prepared to face the challenges of the impact and effect that the climate change might pose for the nation, saying the case of Tsunami, earthquake, famine, drought and floods disasters are the most visible effects of climate change. "Nigeria is not left out of its impact with enormous gully erosions coupled with all sorts of environmental problems," she said.
She blamed multinational companies operating in the country as the major contributors to these environmental problems, adding, "Another worrisome situation is what Lagos State government is doing now by sand filling some parts of the lagoon water ways for the purpose of erecting structures."
She said this might be a disaster in waiting, advising that "environmental impact assessment must be conducted on some of these things they call environmental developmental project in Lagos. That is why at the senate level, we are putting every machinery in place and that is why senate committee is working on the Climate Commission Bill."
She further said that the bill on special ecological agency is going through reading process; we are also going to appeal to state governments in the north to take the issue of climate serious by encouraging forestations.
Speaking further, she intimated that the senate committee on environment is setting up a commission whose role is to create public enlightenment and awareness on climate change in Nigeria by making the people aware of the causes and effect of climate change.
In a similar manner, while giving his speech at the event, Muktar Ankar, deputy governor of Zamfara State said climate change is responsible for the chronic food shortages in many parts of Africa. "In some parts of Nigeria, 95 per cent of the people depend on agriculture for their livelihood, most of it without irrigation," he said.
He said new research suggests that climate change threat is greater in Africa than many parts of the world and the changing weather patterns are already creating new complex emergencies where areas are continually hit by drought and floods.
He added, "Often accompanied by outbreaks of infectious diseases such as cholera and Rift Valley Fever, which were thought to have been eradicated, have now re-appeared. Many communities are living through almost permanent disaster conditions. Now it is time to start preparing vulnerable communities for the worst. Climate change is one of the main risks facing humanity today," he said.
He said the expected rise in global temperatures will affect human health, comfort, life styles, food production, economic activity, and residential and migration patterns.
"As global temperature rises, atmospheric circulation patterns are likely to change with alterations in the frequency and seasonality of precipitation and an overall increase in the rate of evaporation and precipitation. Coupled with the associated general rise in temperature, such changes in water cycle will affect water availability, agricultural activity, flood protection practices, infrastructure planning and natural habitats," he said. According to him, "If the intensity of the hydrologic cycle increases, some scientists believe that humanity and natural systems may experience much more severe weather-related events such as droughts, floods and extremely severe tropical cyclones. These projections of greater problems from tropical cyclones are based largely on calculations of effects of increased surface temperature."
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