by
Nenibarini ZABBEY1
Head, Conservation Programme
Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development (CEHRD), Eleme
INTRODUCTION
Piles upon piles of scientific evidences point to the fact that world
climate is changing due to human activities; temperature, oceanic
heat and sea level are increasing gradually due to excessive
accumulation of green house gases in the atmosphere.
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occurred in the 20th century, during two periods, 1910 to
1945 and 1976 to 2000.
b. Satellite data showed that there are very likely to have been
decreases of about 10% in the extent of snow cover since
the late 1960s, and ground-based observations showed that
there is very likely to have been a reduction of about two
weeks in the annual duration of lake and river ice cover in
the mid and high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere.
c. There has been a wide spread retreat of mountain glaciers
in non-polar regions during the 20th century.
d. Global average sea level has risen and ocean heat content
has increased,
i. Tide gauge data showed that global average sea level rose
between 0.1 and 0.2 metres during the 20th century.
ii. Global ocean heat content has increased since the late
1950s.
e. Northern Hemisphere spring and summer sea-ice extent has
decreased by about 10 to 15% since the 1950s.
Greenhouse effect occur when CO2 and other greenhouse gases that
are, relatively, transparent to incoming short-wave solar radiation
absorb and emit the long-wave radiations from the earth’s surface
and reflect downwards some of these re-emitted radiation towards
the lower atmosphere (Horsfall and Spiff, 2001). It is called green-
house effect because the glass in a green-house acts in a heat
retentive way (NSCA, 1989). The warming of the earth due to the
above phenomenon is called global atmospheric warming or simply
global warming.
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SOURCES OF EXCESS GREENHOUSE GASES
Extra greenhouse gases – above natural rates – originate from
human activities. The main sources include exhaust pipes of cars,
gas flaring from the oil and gas sector, using electricity from coal
fired power plants or the heating of our houses with oil or natural
gas. Deforestation is also a major contributor to greenhouse gases
accumulation. Fewer trees means less CO2 uptake for organic
energy and oxygen production. Prior to the beginning of the
industrial revolution, the estimated level of CO2 in the atmosphere
was about 280 ppm by volume. Current levels are about 370 ppm
by volume (About com. Environmental Issues).
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Table 1: “Best estimates” of gas flaring trends in selected countries
(2000).
It is also safe here to infer that Nigeria would remain the leading
gas flaring nation as long as the AG gambling continues and the
federal government remains passive in ensuring strict compliance to
end gas flaring. Gas flaring in Nigeria had been prohibited since
1984, and flaring attracts monetary penalties. Yet, the oil
corporations prefer to flare AG because it seems cost effective.
Consequently, sequential terminal deadlines fixed by government to
end gas flaring have been repeatedly violated (Zabbey, 2006a). In
its 2003 report, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC)
admitted that the 2008 deadline was “becoming tight” and would be
reviewing in 2004 the resources needed to meet it (SPDC, 2003). It
finally degenerated to an absolute “2008 – not - feasible”
pronouncement by SPDC in 2006.
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EFFECTS OF GLOBAL WARMING
In examining climate change in the context of our discussion,
implications for the Niger Delta riverine/coastal communities, what
comes first to mind is the predicted rise in sea level. Rivers will
flood their banks and erode the land, causing salt water to flood
coastal lands making such lands unusable for agriculture.
Since a layer of ice and snow reflects sunlight, the melting of ice
and snow will cause more sunlight to be absorbed, compounding
the green house effect.
In the tropics, more water will be lost by evapo-transpiration.
This will increase total cloud cover and rainfall.
Climatic zones may shift such that the southern parts of the
temperate region will experience less snow, and hotter and drier
summers.
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Desertification would occur in some areas.
Some plants may become extinct while others become more
abundant.
Elevated CO2 will induce increased branching, reduced flowering
period, decline in seed production and reduced stored contents in
seeds.
There will be expansion of the incidence and distribution of
serious medical disorders.
Mosquito-borne disorders are projected to become more
prevalent, since mosquitoes proliferate faster and bite more as the
air becomes warmer.
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CAUSES OF NATURAL FLOODING
(1) Overspill from the river channel.
(2) Local rainfall and run off, and
(3) Tides.
TYPES OF FLOOD
Based on the area affected, three types of flood are recognized;
(i) Riverine flooding – is a function of precipitation and water
runoff volumes within the watershed of the stream or river.
(ii) Coastal flooding – This is typically a result of storm surge,
wind-drive waves, and heavy rainfall. Storm surges may
overrun barrier islands and push seawater up coastal rivers
and inlets, blocking the downstream flow of inland runoff.
(iii) Urban flooding – It occurs where there has been development
within stream floodplains. Last year (2006), Port Harcourt
experienced an unprecedented flooding that submerged
houses, paralyzed economic activities and rendered some
residents of the Mgbuoba, Diobu and Nkpolu areas internally
displaced. Causes of the flooding and its socio-economic
implications for Port Harcourt have been treated earlier
(Zabbey, 2006b).
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NIGER DELTA AND THE IMPENDING CLIMATE
CHANGE ASSOCIATED FLOODING.
Having reviewed the global posture of climate change and its
predictable consequences, it is now safe to examine specifically
how vulnerable the Niger Delta is, with regard to riverine flooding.
According to Oku (2003), morphometric parameters, soil type,
vegetal depletion and climatic factors like rainfall are some of the
properties that render the Niger Delta prone to flooding. Annual
rainfall in the Niger Delta varied between 2,000-3,000 mm (Yakubu
et. al, 1998). The delta has such high rainfall levels because it is so
near to the Atlantic, the source of the moisture. High equatorial
temperatures cause water to evaporate from the ocean surface and
rise, to be carried Northwest by the Southeast trade winds.
Funneled up the Bight of Biafra, when these winds hit the
Adamawa massif and rise upwards, the cooled water vapour
condenses and falls as rain on the Niger Delta and on the Cross and
Sanga river basins making the area one of the wettest on earth
(Ashton – Jones, 1998).
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estuaries, rivers, creeks, creeklets and streams. The myriad of
inland surface waters and the boundary coastal shelf means multiple
flooding sources to the surrounding low-level flatlands.
THE SOLUTION
Climate change is created by human activities and could be halted.
Being a global problem, it requires the concerted efforts of all and
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sundry in cutting down on greenhouse gas emissions. In 1992, the
Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro was convened, which midwives the
Framework Convention (FC). The FC is an environmental treaty
signed by leaders from 155 (now 166), countries at the earth
summit (Nilsson and Pitt, 1994). Ten years later, in Johannesburg,
South Africa, the world summit on Sustainable Development was
held. Such conferences have done much to bring about a general
consensus among scientists and policymakers with regard to climate
change. Has there been any reduction in greenhouse gas
emission? Absolutely No.
Those seeking for equity, they say, must come with clean hands.
As a people most at risk, and ironically the leading regional gas
flarer in the world, the Niger Delta must act fast to complement
other genuine efforts to stem the tide of our changing climate.
Rural communities in the delta should, as a matter of urgency, join
hands with concerned Civil Society Organizations to persuade
government to stop oil companies from flaring associated gas in the
region.
REFERENCES
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(2) Ashton-Jones, N. (1998). The human ecosystems of the Niger
Delta-ERA handbook. Kraft books limited, Ibadan.
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(9) Nilsson, S. and Pitt, D. 1994 protecting the atmosphere - The
climate change convention and its context. Earth Scan, London.
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workshop, organized by the Centre for Environment, Human Rights and
Development (CEHRD), Sissi Hotel, Port Harcourt, 15 –16 December,
2006.
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