Climate change is basically the aftermath of the environmental pollutions resulting from the constant release of CO2, methane gas, burning of fossil fuel, industrial waste. The active circle is melting, rising temperature and desertification setting in very rapidly. All of these are human actions, not aliens.
WHAT IS CLIMATE CHANGE
According to the United Nations definition, climate change is simply referred to long-term change in temperatures and weather patterns. This long-term change in temperatures and weather determines Earth’s local, regional, and world climatic conditions. Though these changes in temperatures and weather conditions may be natural, yet man has been the major driver of climate change due to the burning of fossil fuels. Examples of fossil fuels are gas, coal, and oil.
WHAT ARE THE OBVIOUS CAUSES OF CLIMATE CHANGE
There are possibly 3 major causes of climate change, they are:
- Greenhouse gas emission
- Carbon dioxide, and
- Methane gas
Greenhouse gas emission is generated by these fossil fuels. These greenhouse gas emissions, carbon dioxide, and methane together lead to climate change. Carbon dioxides and methane are emitted into the atmosphere through gasoline from our cars, coal, deforestation, landfills for garbage, industrial wastes, land and agricultural use, energy, transportation, etc.
6 SHOKing FACTS ON CLIMATE CHANGE ISSUES
Do you know that the UN has it that:
- Climate change doesn’t necessarily mean temperature rise but the beginning of climate change?
- The last decade [2011-2020] was the warmest ever in man’s history?
- The consequence of climate change includes serious droughts, rising sea levels, flooding, water scarcity, melting polar ice, declining biodiversity, heavy and disastrous storms, and serious fire outbreaks.
- There is a postulation that global warming might reach 2.7 degrees Celcius by the end of this century which is very disastrous to life’s existence on earth?
- The 10 countries with the largest emission contribute about 68%.
- Switching fossil fuel to renewable energy can remedy man from the effects of climate change?
AREAS WE EXPERIENCE CLIMATE CHANGE
- Our health
- Agriculture
- Housing
- work
- Security
THE UNITED NATIONS [UN] FRAMEWORK ON CLIMATE CHANGE
The way and manner people approach the environment, development without considering the impact on the environment, you go into industrialization without considering the effects. Melting of the northern pole and flowing down to the coastal region is a serious challenge in the world today. The climate is changing very fast. It has reached the stage of the sea level rise voluntarily, we have reached past the guage of 1.5 degrees Celcius and might even reach 2 degrees. this means it is intense. All of these gave rise to the development of the United Nations [UN] framework on climate change
THE ARTICLES CONTAINED IN THE FRAMEWORK
Essentially, there are well over 26 articles contained in the 1992 United Nations Framework on Climate Change. these articles clearly stipulate all there is to know by all and member signatories of the conference. The article contents are as follows according to their numeration all spelled out in a 32 pages article, thus:
- Definitions of terms
- The objective of the convention is the stabilization of greenhouse concentrations in the atmosphere at a very level that would prevent disastrous anthropogenic interference with the ecosystem.
- Principles of the conference
- Commitments of the conference
- Research and systematic observation of the conference
- Education, training, and public awareness
- Conference of the parties
- Secretariat
- A subsidiary body for scientific and technological advice
- A subsidiary body for implementation
- Financial mechanism
- Communication of information related to the implementation
- Resolution of questions regarding implementation
- Settlement of disputes
- Amendments to the convention
- Adoption and amendment of annexes to the convention
- Protocols
- Right to vote
- Depositary
- Signature
- Interim arrangements
- Ratification, acceptance, approval, or accession
- Entry into force
- Reservations
- Withdrawal
- Authentic texts
MEMBER STATES OF THE UN FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE
As of 2015, we had 192 member states that are signatories to the greenhouse gas emission agreement. the countries are:
- Australia
- Austria
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Canada
- Czechoslovakia
- Denmark
- European Economic Community
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Japan
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Russian Federation
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Turkey
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- United States of America
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WHAT IS YOUR ROLE AS AN INDIVIDUAL IN ESCALATING CLIMATE CHANGE
Individually, we do a lot to worsen the entire situation. Below are some of our actions that threaten the ecosystem:
- Gas flaring – it is illegal but we are doing it
- Power generation sources – we are not using renewable energy Vehicle emissions – control emission rate. Switch red bulbs to led
- Deforestation
We should not forget the fact that African is seriously going to bear the grunt of climate change impacts, this is because of our topography, our lifestyle, bad governance
UNITED NATIONS ACTION FOR CLIMATE EMPOWERMENT
The United Nation climate change conference COP26 in Glassgow adopted a 10-year action plan on climate called the Glassgow work program to facilitate the implementation of Action for Climate empowerment. This action plan has five[5] elements which include:
- Climate education and public awareness
- Training
- public access to information
- Public participation, and
- International cooperation on climate matters.
In the real sense, these 6 actions play a major role in promoting a drastic change in societal lifestyles, attitudes, and the needed behaviors to ensure a low emission, climate resilience, and sustainable development.
AGREEMENT OF THE UN FRAMEWORK ON CLIMATE CHANGE
This very agreement on climate change held in Paris was aimed at getting all countries both developed and developing to make a substantial commitment towards addressing climate change. The Paris agreement is evidently built on the United Nations framework convention on Climate change and other brother frameworks on climate change such as the Copenhagen and Cancun agreements.
The agreement was meant to strengthen countries’ obligations, enforce mechanisms to challenge more actions in developing countries on climate change, assist the most vulnerable countries in addressing climate change, and establish stronger measures to hold countries to their commitments in addressing climate change.
Many countries like China don’t follow the agreement. Emission cannot be measured, and reports or records cannot be kept. No special body – a general body responsible for climate change. These are some of the challenges limiting the war against climate change.
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WHAT DO WE DO TO FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE [MITIGATE]
We have the framework, Nigeria signed in the Paris agreement. There are 5 points we signed to uphold in their entirety. Gas flaring, emission, deforestation, afforestation [these are the five points we signed to uphold].
WHAT WE MUST DO AS A NATION / INDIVIDUALS
Sensitization: We must seize the general public on the need to preserve and protect our environment as well as our ecosystem as a matter of emergency. As a matter of fact, environmental education should be introduced into our school curriculum and should be taught from kindergarten to the tertiary level.
We must ake leverage what is out, opportunities out there. there [access the funds for climate change to fighting poor technology, poverty, socio-economic, location].
WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH THE STATE CALLED NIGERIA
Truth be told, Nigeria has no problem, but like other states of the world, we are usually quick to sign agreements, treaties, and charters but lack implementation. This is not common only to Nigeria but to the African continent and possibly the developing nations of the world.
Our major challenge here is the implementation of documents. Our problem is not in the rules and regulations but in the enforcement. Cooking gas policy of the NNPC trashed by increment on gas price thereby forcing people back to cooking wood leading to deforestation – wood cutting] and others. This GAS IS AVAILABLE, just to harness and reduce the price.
THE WAY FORWARD IN AFRICA/NIGERIA
- The Use of the triple Es might be the solution to upholding all the agreements, treaties, and charters. The triple Es stands for ENACTMENT, EDUCATION, ENFORCEMENT – no political will.
- We don’t devote enough resources for policies and their implementation. So, we must devote enough resources to ensure that policies are rightly implemented without compromise.
- Harness the gas to increase cooking gas, electricity thereby clearing the environment and also reducing the price.
- Subsidize gas for the common man
- Greenhouse engagements thereby create employment for youths. This is realizable by way of engaging youths in planting trees.
- Make water available to the average northerner and you will be resolving crisis, terrorism, and agricultural problem.
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HUNGER, DISEASE, LACK OF WATER, CLIMATE CHANGE, AND POPULATION – HOW CAN WE USE THESE FACTORS IN OUR FAVOUR?
- Use youths for tree planting, agriculture
- Move people from flood-prone areas
- Transit away from fossil fuels to biofuels, micro-hydro.
- The private sector has a major role to play by creating gainful employment for youths as well as becoming more careful with their activities around us.
- The utilization of the water
CLIMATE CHANGE OPPORTUNITIES, INVESTMENT IN THE EXPANDING THE ECONOMY
The private sector can cash into this. If we take action, our GDP will increase. A cleaner environment is possible. We have gas, manpower, resources to change this from red to yellow to green alert.
CONCLUSION
Climate change has come to be with a man. We can convert this problem into resources. For instance, take water from the Cahimila dam to the Mambila dam. Take the water to lake Chad, spread it across the Sambisa area for grazing. This will reduce the migration of people and cattle from North to south.
