-By Victoria Opeyemi
Nigeria signed the Paris Climate Change Agreement of 2015 as the 146th country in September 2016 and ratified it in March 2017. The Agreement is aimed at reducing Greenhouse gas emissions unconditionally by 20% and conditionally by 45% of international support by 2030.
Nigerians have reacted on some of the roles they can play to support the Federal Government in actualizing the Paris Agreement to mitigate the impact of climate change in the country and the rest of the world.
The Senior Legislative Assistant, Gas and Power to the Senate President, Olabode Sowunmi was of the view that “Nigeria has excess carbon dioxide and some other gasses in atmosphere and it absorbs the heat from the sun but does not allow it to leave the earth surface thereby creating a heating effect so that concept is what is called the greenhouse heating effect.
So, the idea is to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere so that it will be less retentive of heat.”
On her part, Galadima Hadiza posited, “I will advise us to stop burning firewood and tyres on the roads, it helps us reduce or stop climate change entirely because it affects the weather.”
According to Niyi Maraiyesa, “Nigeria should empower the women more to use gas than using firewood.”
A Civil Servant, Ojetola Omoseeke, said “Gas has taken over and it is faster than firewood and in those days when firewood is being used, it resorts to dark and cloudy environment where is being used and it is not good for the health.”
Rita Ejiogu, also a Civil Servant observed that “Trees are source of fence to protect the environment if you don’t know what to do with it instead of using them as firewood. Gas is good alternative because it saves cost and it is not good to use firewood cooking.”
For Osayuki Obas, “I used my solar panel to reduce the emissions from generator. I don’t burn tyres and I don’t use charcoal and few of those things could also assist in my own way of understanding the process.”
Babagana Imam, a legal practitioner said “Renewal energy is important because this is what is used in advanced climes. We can as well make use of it and energy saver bulbs that reduce excess heat and stop the use of the ones that cause a lot of heat with huge consumption of power that produces heat.”
It is obvious that Nigerians are putting in place required infrastructure across the country to ensure that the government succeeds in reduction of carbon dioxide emissions and to mitigate the impact of climate change in the country.
This was also part of the COP 26 conference recently held in Glasgow, Scotland to which President Muhammadu Buhari alluded to the fact that Nigeria is committed to reduce carbon emissions and resort to cleaner energy.
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