Jaiden Saran McLean High School
As months pass and global temperatures rise, West African climates are warming far faster than the global rate. In Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, the temperatures are reaching startling highs of up to 99 °F nearly every day. And these temperatures will continue to increase.
For decades, people have used fossil fuels that contribute to climate change. However, with every generation, the use of fossil fuels has increased. The newest generation has polluted the most, resulting in a half-degree increase in temperature over the past century. In Nigeria, the rising temperature has led to alarming issues such as water scarcity, food shortages and poverty.
Part of the reason Nigeria is affected by climate change is due to its abundant fossil fuels and oil-dependent economy. The production of oil accounts for 86 percent of the nation’s revenue, as well as 315,000 jobs. While it may benefit Nigeria’s economy, however, it is damaging the environment. Oil production and usage are some of the largest greenhouse gas contributors, releasing harmful chemicals like carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. Temperatures are already high in Nigeria due to its proximity to the equator, and these greenhouse gases are causing further increases in temperature. In 2018, thousands of Nigerians left their farms due to drought, lack of food and storms. The National Bureau of Statistics reported that this migration led to the 83 million people now below the poverty line. In coastal cities such as Lagos, where many of the houses are built on rafts on the water, the rising sea levels could flood the areas and wash the houses away.
Given these challenges, Nigeria has attempted to switch to renewable energy in the last five years. Nigeria ratified the Paris Climate Agreement in 2017, stating that it would try to convert 30 percent of its energy to renewable resources by 2030. The government has also promised to rapidly increase the number of solar panels used throughout the country.
However, the phaseout of oil has caused a strain on the economy; the country no longer has enough money to support even its own citizens. 47 percent of Nigerians already live without electricity and lack access to air conditioning, technology and other necessities. In response to this widespread electricity deficiency, the World Bank invested over $1.2 billion in Nigeria to help support both public and private energy companies. With the extra funding, the phaseout of oil will likely continue.
Although Nigeria is severely reducing its dependence on fossil fuels, the glaciers near Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Kenya and the Rwenzori Mountains are expected to melt within the next two decades. The melted glaciers will leave the already impoverished country without major sources of freshwater.
Lagos is one of the many Nigerian cities expected to be completely underwater by 2075 due to rising sea levels. As of 2018, more than 50 percent of Nigeria’s land has become desertified, meaning that fertile land was turned into desert. As climate change worsens, more land will become damaged until most of the country is either desert or ocean.
Within the next 20 years, humanity’s carbon footprint must be reduced to near zero levels. In places like Nigeria, where nearly half of the country is impoverished, wealthier countries must help. We will never be able to reach full change if one country is shifting to a more sustainable approach and others are not; all countries must work together to truly make a difference and to reduce our global footprint. If climate change isn’t addressed now, the entire world, especially countries like Nigeria, will be left dealing with the devastating consequences.
About Author
