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By Innocent Bako
Any adult about 30 years or older would know weather patterns have changed. Take the rains for instance. Unlike in the past, it was fairly easy to predict the beginning and end of the different seasons. Not anymore. And the severity of rains too was something that has caught meteorologists off-guard. Flooding, like Spain recently suffered, has become the order of the day around the world. In Nigeria, it was predicted that 31 states would experience flooding. And in states like Borno to Delta to Kogi and others, that was what happened. Scientists have traced this danger to effects of climate change.
However, many Nigerians are unconcerned about climate change, let alone forging a way to address it. But whether it is discussed or not, the whole world, including Nigeria, is being affected by climate change. Aside from the vagaries of weather, climate change has been traced to create other problems. For example, one school of thought says that the herders/farmers clash is largely as a result of drying up watering holes as well as vegetation which has forced herders to search further for pasture, a situation which often leads to clashes with farmers. Thankfully, Kaduna State governor, Senator Uba Sani, is intentional with tackling climate change issues.
At the opening of a regional conference on climate change-induced conflicts in Northern Nigeria held in Kaduna recently, Sani clearly outlined the situation and measures to combat it. According to him, climate change should not just be viewed as an environmental crisis but a matter capable of disrupting the balance of life as we have known it. He urged his fellow northern governors that conflicts associated with climate change have become a reality that must be confronted with dedicated seriousness.
The governor listed “rising temperatures, shifting weather patterns, and extreme weather events,” as ample evidence to show that climate change is already adversely affecting Nigerians.
“The recent menace of floods in parts of Nigeria and especially in Kaduna state, the fast-encroaching desert sands rendering most of our arable lands infertile, the shrinking of rivers and gradual deforestation of our forests are stark reminders of the urgency of our situation,” Sani said.
“The reality before us is that natural resources will become more limited, tensions will mount. Historically, we have witnessed how environmental stress can lead to conflict. The farmer – herder conflict is still with us today.”
Indeed. It should be noted that in the north, rural communities are largely populated by crop farmers and pastoralists. And the devastating effects of climate change have caused heavy losses on them, sometimes, causing displacement of communities in a flash. Rainfall patterns have also changed with more rains in the southern part of the country while the north experiences lesser rains. Desertification is also getting more intense in the north, leading to food insecurity. Additionally, climate change has also affected water security and also increased the spread of waterborne and infectious diseases. But offering a way out of the problems of climate change, Sani enjoined collective action by anticipating, preparing and sticking to the long term goal.
“Despite the dire situation, we must pull ourselves together and confront the challenges facing us,” according to Sani, who said individuals, communities, organisations and countries should remain resilient.
“We must give hope to our people. We must work collectively to fashion strategies to cope with the current situation and prepare for challenges in the future. The starting point towards raising community understanding of resilience to hazards and conflicts is to initiate participatory consultations at the grassroots level. The goal is to identify past and potential future hazards and conflicts and mobilize communities to take action for future resilience to such hazards and conflicts.”
It is good that climate change is getting the attention it deserves. It is also better that solutions are being proffered. In 2022, Nigeria established the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) as a platform for collaboration and coordination among various government agencies, the private sector, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders in the country to combat and mitigate the impact of climate change. However, there has been more talk than action. But given the overwhelming nature of the problem, humans do not have too much time to waste before doomsday.
Already, a 2024 World Health Organization (WHO) report indicated that Nigeria’s disease burden could reach 21% due to climate change and its escalating impact. The report which is the country’s first-ever Climate Health Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment Report (VA) also ‘highlights that diarrheal deaths in children under five, driven by climate change, could account for about 9.8% of all diarrheal-related fatalities’ and ‘cardiovascular diseases are expected to reach 4.5 million cases by 2030, while diabetes cases could rise to 450,000. Hypertension is projected to increase from 900,000 cases in 2020 to 1.6 million by 2030.’
At this juncture, our daily behaviours should be integrated into how the negative effects of climate change can be eliminated or at best reduced. There should be more advocacy or a policy to encourage using cleaner fuels. Also, people can engage in some physical measures like tree planting. With the right type of trees, this has the potential to also combat desertification. If every governor decided to plant four million trees in the four years of their administration’s life cycle, this would go a long way to re-green the environment and slow down the negative effects of climate change.
Charting a plan to his audience, Sani listed community level action plans to include training community organisations on governance processes, project and financial management. He also advocated investment in all efforts to address the various menaces associated with climate change.
“We must also invest in climate resilience,” Sani said.
