OPINION: Human induced climate change a Major distortion to Atmospheric dynamics and Coastal land erosion/ degradation

The attendant effects of Human induced climate change are the warmer temperatures, droughts, intense rain falls which causes dangerous floods and ocean surge experienced globally in recent times.

The torrential rainfall and flooding in Dubai and other parts of the UAE last week 16th April 2024 is a clear case of how man made actions can trigger a devastating effect on the human populace and infrastructure. Dubai as a global centre in tourism, luxury and transport had got it right even by advancing such a global destination in the Persian gulf.

Climate scientists and weather Meteorologists have argued that the recent situation in the UAE is as a result of Cloud seeding (a process deployed to induce rainfall and lower atmospheric temperature in a region known for very high temperature with little or no rainfall year in year out) But studies have shown this is not the first time and from the data available its increasing. Climate change is the major factor. 

For us here in Nigeria my opinion will be that Government, Multinational companies and all Private sectors should be Proactive and not always stay on the Reactive( focusing more attention on provision of IDP camps, relief materials, sourcing for aids from donor agencies and all). 

We keep attending global conferences and signing MOU to End Gas flaring and other massive emissions with no effect on ground. No measure to check the constant degradation of the Marine ecosystem, little or no proper buffer zones in an event of sea level rise. It is a known fact that alteration of the Climate, atmosphere and it's Biodiversity would certainly have a major devastating effect sooner or later. So measures need to be put in place to avert such occurrences in future.

Recent studies carried out, Oyegun (1990) observed erosion rates of 25 m to 30 m per year at Bar Beach in Lagos, before works were carried out and 16 m to 22 m per year in Forcados in Delta State. Okude and Taiwo (2006) estimate that a shoreline retreat in Lagos of 100 m is expected by the year 2060, with worst case erosion rates expected to be up to 600 meters by the year 2060, if no action is taken. More recently, Dada et al. (2018) suggested that 82 ­percent of Delta state’ coastline retreated during 1950–1987; and 69 ­percent between 2007 and 2012.

In conclusion it is Urgently needed for proper Shoreline protection to be carried along the Excravous Estuary in Warri South West LGA, Delta State which as we speak is facing a massive Ocean Surge. And efficient Buffer solutions are installed to manage the attendant effects of Climate change especially along the coastal shoreline of the Niger Delta. The Lagos State government via Public Private Partnership has successfully managed the Situation at the Bar Beach with the Creation of the Eko Atlantic city which pushed back the Eroded areas along the Bar beach by Several kilometres currently creating a Dubai like experience in the heart of West Africa. Proactive buffer innovation as this are what is needed to manage this emerging global crisis.

Omawumi Elete an Environmental Scientist writes from Warri City

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