Impact of Climate Change: Nigeria

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Impact of Climate ChangeNigeria

• Presented by
• Beau Weaver and Laura Dombrady

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Geography of Nigeria

• Total area 923,768 square km (slightly more than
  twice the size of California)
• Semi arid and tropical climate
• Extreme elevations Lowest point 0 meters at sea
  level, highest point 2,419 meters
• 853 km of coastline

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Natural Resources
Natural gas Petroleum Tropical forest Tin, iron
ore, coal, limestone, lead, and zinc.
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Population

• Total population 135,031,164
• Population growth rate 2.379
• Total fertility rate 5.45 children per woman
• Life Expectancy 47.44
• http//futuresedge.org/World_Population_Issues/Nig
  eria_pop.jpg

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Current Environmental Issues

• Soil degradation due to rapid deforestation
• Urban air and water pollution
• Desertification of arable land
• Water, air, and soil pollution due to frequent
  oil spills

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Current Greenhouse Gas emissions

• Africa contributes to 3 of total global
  greenhouse gas emissions making them the smallest
  contributor to the global problem.
• Nigeria emits one of the most green house gases
  in all of Africa because of flaring of unwanted
  natural gas by the multi national oil companies.
• According to the International Energy Agency
  (IEA) the total greenhouse gas emissions from
  Nigeria rank second in all of Africa at 49
  million tons. (www.scienceinafrica.co.za)

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http//www.elaw.org/assets/images/places/ng.gas.fl
ares/children.with.water.jpg
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Gas Flaring

• When gas comes to the surface during the oil
  extraction process. This gas is then burned
  rather than re injected into the ground or
  processed for other use. Resulting in toxic
  pollution on the local level and climate warming
  on the global level.

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Deforestation

• 12.2 or roughly 11 million hectares of Nigeria
  is forest
• The rate of deforestation exceeds the rate of
  reforestation in Nigeria.
• Forests are being cleared for agricultural
  expansion, growing populations, and the need of
  wood.

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• http//www.acwwoodcuts.com/Cache/Pictures/55513/6_
  On_timber_consession_LAC.jpg

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Deforestation continued

• In the past 15 years, Nigeria has lost 35.7 of
  its forest cover. Around 6 million hectares,
  resulting in the worlds largest deforestation
  rate.
• Tropical forests act as carbon sinks, so if they
  are taken away more carbon will remain in the
  atmosphere because less plants means less carbon
  absorbed.

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Sea Level change

• Sea Level is expected to rise with the effects of
  global warming because of thermal expansion and
  glacier melt.
• Nigeria is in great danger of sea level increase
  as it is a low lying elevation.
• There is already evidence of a decrease in beach
  size and width and bridges near the coast are
  unstable and dangerous because of increased
  erosion.

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• http//dusteye.files.wordpress.com/2007/02/shell-n
  igeria.jpg

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Severe weather eventsFloods

• Warm air holds more water so it takes longer
  for clouds to form, which also means they will
  hold more water. This leads to intense floods
  when it actually rains.
• Increased floods in Nigeria will ruin land used
  for agriculture that will destroy crops. This
  could be devastating in an already food deprived
  nation.

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Droughts

• Droughts will also effect agricultural production
  because a scarcity of water means it is harder to
  irrigate crops.
• Dehydration is a common disease in Africa and
  less water availability could be devastating to
  the entire continent. Most of the water they
  have is polluted so it is important to try to
  sustain resources and lower greenhouse gas
  emissions.

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• The EndUntil tomorrow!