Nigerian experts urge vulnerable nations to collaborate in climate change war

Abdul Semiu Babalola in Afrique en ligne via PANA: As the United Nations Summit on Climate Change enters its last few days with little commitment by developed nations to sped up the deadline for reduction of gas emissions, Nigeria and other vulnerable developing countries have been advised to work together at developing strategies that will enable them to collectively fight the effects of climate change on their socio-economic life.

'What we are hearing from Denmark is not very encouraging. There has not been any serious commitments yet for gas reduction from the developed nations. It is clear that the industrialised countries are not acting as expected in spite of the huge losses and devastating effects on developing countries,' the former President of the Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS), Professor David Okali. told PANA.

'At the end of the summit whether or not there is an agreement, developing countries who are mostly at the receiving end must come together by shifting focus from fossil fuel to renewable energy. We need to break away from carbon- based growth to embracing green technology,' Okali added.

He said the devastating effects of climate change on Nigeria's land mass, like other developing countries, was enormous. In the Northern part of Nigeria, desertification and drought have caused extensive damage to the ecosystem making farming and other economic activities very difficult. Gully erosions, flooding and environmental pollutions have also caused greater economic loss on the people in the southern part of the vast country.

Okali remarked that rising ocean surge is posing greater threats to lives and property in Victoria Island, Ikoyi and Lekki Peninsula, all in the high brow area of Lagos, the commercial nerve centre of Nigeria.

Several billions of Naira has been expended by the Nigerian government to control the ocean surge at the bar beach in Victoria Island Lagos, which is home to several high rising buildings serving as headquarters to multi-national corporations , financial houses, oil companies residential quarters and foreign missions…

Satellite image of the Benue River in Nigeria