[Enter Post Title Here]

CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE ROLE OF CITIES

Today we will be discussing about the climate change and the role pf cities, but before we go on so many questions will come to your mind like what is climate change and why are we interested in climate change and what do we want to drive on?

Q1: What is climate change?

Climate change is defined as the long time shift of the climate due to an increase in the average atmospheric temperature to distributing weather pattern.

Our planet is continuously warmed up as a result of rising level of carbon dioxide and other heat trapping gasses in the atmosphere and theses has a lot of consequences facing the earth.

Q2: What are these consequences?

The warming up process means that what used to be the corner of the earth  covered with ice are now been melted and turned into water which leads to flood in some area as well as decrease the quality water people in that area drink in that area, while the people in the other region suffer from insufficient water resource caused by drought, while people from the coastal area have to come up with ways to protect their houses from a level of precipitation . Research told us that people living in more developed countries located in southern and central Europe now gets more drought and heat wave tah ever, while the northern are getting wetter and numbers of flood are steadily growing , with all this, none of thr countries is ready to deal with the consequences of what global warming will bring.

Scholars told us that as a result of global warming the earth will see more hurricane that will be stronger and more intense than the one we know, the intensity, frequency, and duration of north Atlantic hurricanes, as well as the frequency of the strongest (category 4&5) hurricane  have all increased since the early 1980:s and this is not the end. This change only indicates the high risk of further hurricane that will take over.

Scholars believe that global warming is worse than plague, as it affects the whole planets and cannot be stopped with the aid of medication, it is worse than global nuclear war, war, and famine.

The warming effect that follows the climate change can cause extreme weather event like strong hurricane, increased earthquake, heat waves in the urban areas, black sooth increase in the rise of sea/ocean levels.

The humanity will face water scarcity in some areas, food shortage, and environmental refugee.t.c.

Unfortunately, for all of us, considering how many gasses are been emitted into the atmosphere,

The climate change will not stop soon, it will be growing momentum, and its consequences will be growing in numbers.

The global climate change resource mentioned that” taken as a whole” the ipcc states the range of published evidence indicates the net cost of climate change are likelyn to be significant and to increase over time considering that the big change start with a small steps.

In Nigeria the issue of climate was first experienced 25yrs ago in the north-eastern region presently comprising  Borno and Yobo state, Southern part of Lake Chad, this section of it lies in Nigeria territory dried up.

Some four decades ago the Lake Chad covered an area of over 40,000sqkm, whereas  now it mow encompass as a mere 1,300sqkm. While the negative trends continues unabated and as land is laid to waste by the rising temperature leading to the southward expansion of the Sahara desert, farmlands and surrounding villages became barren were swallowed up by advancing desertification, which lead to migration of people in search of fertile terrain from the north-east towards the greener plateau & middle belt region.

Growing desertification forced thousands of Fulani herdsmen to the south & middle belt leading to clashes with crop farmers culminating in the death of hundreds according to thwe reports of residents and activists.

Nigeria Gueane Savannah is not spared either, Logging & overdependence of fire wood for cooking as stripped a greater part of its area of its vegetation cover.

The situation is similarly replicated in the south, where the forest around Oyo has long been reduced to grassland.

The south-east part of the country has been hit by a different ill, the gulley erosion has devastated many settlement areas & farmlands leading to poverty in local populations.

Just as desertification is devastating vast area of the north, rising sea level are threatening the Nigeria coastal region, Although a source of oil wealth, the Higer-Delta low-lying terrain & criss-crossing of water ways makes it vulnerable to flooding, apart from been at the risk of rising sea levels which has fallen victim of oil pollution.

Moreover in the southern Nigeria, climate change is also reflected, in the massive flood experienced 2012, houses, farm, farm product, properties & even human beings were swept away. Also the statistics released by the south-west zonal office of NEMA about 2yrs ago  show that no fewer than 5,000 persons were affected & 60 houses destroyed in a windstorm which occurred in four state in the south-west region.

Q) ARE THE CAUSES OF WHAT CLIMATE CHANGE

The main causes of the present climate change which is been caused by global warming are:

(1)  Burning of fossil fuel (coal, oil and natural gases) these releases aged old carbon dioxide that has been hidden away for millions of years, these carbon cycle is unable to remove the CO2 from the atmosphere which makes rhe green hose gas to warm the planet.

(2)  Man has cut down millions of trees all-over the planets and is still doing so. Trees act as carbon sinks that is they take carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, store the carbon and releases oxygen.

(3)  Methane from agriculture & melting tundra plays a role.

(4)  Cement manufacture plays a major role

(Q) HOW CAN WE COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE

Climate change which is becoming a major challenge can be combated with the following techniques,

(1)  Planting trees such as Avocado, Banana to shade and protect crops, farmers can also use the fruit to diversify their income.

(2)  New irrigation method where plants gets enough water even in drought.

(3)  Covering mulch or other material’s to retain the soil. Better care for soil can also prevent erosion.

(4)  Maintaining & increase of forest cover in and around production areas, which increase organic matter &fertility, prevents deforestation.

(5)  Improve on waste water cleaning: which helps ensure clean water for the communities & cut down on greenhouse gas

(6)   Correct use of Fertilizer: This means less greenhouse gas.

(7)  Stop gas flaring: which means these gases can be recycled and use for generating energy.

Similarly as part of science curriculum, planners should ensure that they put in place core knowledge of , and information about, climate change as part of a compulsory education for student at all levels. Student should learn about the potential impact of unmanaged climate change, as well as options for adaptation & mitigation in other to enable a complete & robust understanding.

University lecturers should be financially motivated to carry out research in various field of knowledge related to climate change so that innovative research can contribute practical solution.

Policy makers, parents & teachers should embark on raising awareness of climate change in Nigeria.

Also appropriate technology for adaptation & mitigation should be deployed at all level and to strengthen the weakness of human capacity & mainstreaming  climate change in national development.