Introduction
The United Nations has hired me to write an analysis of how population growth affects climate change in a developing country. Population growth leads to a strain on natural resources, especially fossil fuels, and causes deforestation as people try to get land for farming. As a result, overconsumption of natural resources and the environmental degradation that comes with it leads to the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG) such as carbon dioxide that cause the greenhouse effect. I chose to focus my analysis on Nigeria, which is Africa’s most populous country with a population of 195 million people. This paper will discuss GHG and how they contribute to global warming. The second part of the paper will discuss how the emissions cause economic and social problems in Nigeria. Finally, the third part of the paper will detail GHG’s causes and solutions to the problems they cause. The paper will discuss the burning of fossil fuels like oil, gas, and coal as the main cause of GHG. The most practical strategy for reducing emissions’ effects is to reduce the demand for fossil fuels by embracing recycling, reusing, and using energy more wisely.
Section I.
Background
Greenhouse gas refers to any gas capable of absorbing infrared heat released from the Earth’s surface and radiating it back to the earth’s surface. This contributes to the greenhouse effect. Water vapor, carbon dioxide, and methane are the most common types of GHG. Although the gases make a tiny fraction of the total atmospheric gases, they have an immense impact on the energy and heat levels on earth. It is also important to note that GHG are normally in high concentration during the warm periods and low during the cold seasons.
As the largest oil producer and the largest natural gas reservoir in Africa, Nigeria emits a lot of GHG due to fossil fuel burning. A 2014 research indicates that the country emits approximately 492.44 million metric tons of carbon dioxide in a year, which is 1.01 percent of global GHG emissions. Carbon dioxide in the country mainly stems from burning fossil fuels for industrial use and the consumption of liquid and gas fuels.
GHG contribute to global warming by trapping heat radiated from the Earth. As a result, the heat does not escape into space, which causes the Earth to become warmer. This is called the greenhouse effect. According to Ilevbare Femi (2019), GHG have led to an increase in temperature and more intense weather events in Nigeria. The county’s temperature has significantly increased since the 1980s. There has been a direct correlation between population increase and increases in temperature in the country over the years. In fact, the country has witnessed an increase in the number of hot days and hot nights since 1960. Data from the World Bank indicates that maximum temperatures are witnessed between September and November every year.
Section II. How Emissions Cause Problems for the Developing World
China is the world’s largest emitter of GHG. This trend has gradually risen over the past decades. Currently, the country emits 9.8 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide, accounting for 29.34 percent of global GHG emissions. The United States comes in second with 13.77 percent, while the European Union comes in third, emitting 9.57 percent of global GHG emissions. As noted above, Nigeria accounted for 1.01 percent in 2014, although the number has fluctuated substantially in recent years, with the lowest figure standing at 0.67 percent as of 2017.
The emissions have impacted Nigeria’s economy in a significantly negative way. Huge populations of people living in the southern part of the country are already being ravaged by gully erosion and floods. In the northern part of the country, people have to contend with the menace of drought, desertification, and deforestation. These environmental challenges have a direct impact on the economic activities of these people, most of whom rely on farming as their main source of livelihood. It is expected that by 2100, the overall gross domestic product (GDP) of Nigeria will reduce by between 2 and 7 percent due to global warming. The key economic sectors that will be affected include agriculture, crop production, livestock, fisheries, forestry, mining and quarrying, and manufacturing.
When it comes to global warming, security, and political challenges go hand in hand. As Lake Chad and other critical lakes in Nigeria are drying up and droughts become a constant, the country is already witnessing resource competition in the southern and northern parts. There have been unintended effects of climate change, such as volatile food prices, trans-boundary water management, and livelihood migration. The overall impact of these security risks is a volatile political climate as populations compete for limited resources. There are already threats of displacements as competition for food and water intensify. These pressures, together with economic disruptions, exacerbate current political instability leading to increased conflicts between communities.
Section III. Causes of Greenhouse Gases and Solutions to the Problems Greenhouse Gases Cause
The two main causes of greenhouse gases in Nigeria are the burning of fossil fuels for industrial use and transportation and unsustainable agricultural practices due to deforestation and urbanization. To address these causes, there is a need for manufacturers and the general public to embrace recycling to reduce energy consumption. The use of recycled materials avoids the need to manufacture new ones that would result in GHG emissions. Reducing, reusing, and recycling means that people will buy fewer items, which reduces the amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere. Additionally, driving less and biking means saving gasoline, and hence fewer emissions. Also, replacing non-renewable energy sources with renewable sources such as solar will have long-term positive outcomes for Nigeria as far as cutting GHG emissions goes.
Further, reforestation can be used as a measure to rectify the devastating effects of GHG emissions in Nigeria. Forests will help soak up pollution caused by the transportation and manufacturing sectors. This will mitigate the effects of the emissions as trees absorb carbon dioxide, which is the main GHG in Nigeria’s atmosphere. Finally, there is a direct relationship between population increase and the rate of greenhouse gas emissions. Simply put, more people means more consumption and demand for gas, coal, coil, and other non-renewable sources of energy that spew carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
Conclusion
The economic, security and political effects of global warming in Nigeria cannot be overemphasized. While all populations are impacted, the most vulnerable groups are the poor, women, and children. The impacts of global warming in Nigeria are expected to increase over the coming years. As such, it is vital for decision-makers and relevant stakeholders to take immediate steps to address the issue. Creating awareness and providing environmental education to the ever-increasing Nigerian population will help support efforts aimed at ensuring that the general public understands how normal day-to-day activities may be impacting the environment. Additionally, there should be seminars, forums, and workshops to educate manufacturers on how to adopt more sustainable ways of manufacturing by embracing the recycle-reuse-reduce model to minimize emissions from the industrial processes. Finally, the United Nations should do more to support local authorities and the Nigerian governments in devising mechanisms of ensuring more renewable sources of energy such as wind and solar are embraced by the locals.