By Abdallah el-Kurebe
Experts have opined that there is an urgent need to search for sustainable alternative that will replace the existing energy sources, depleting and degrading the environment and causing adverse effects on the climate, which has become a critical threat in Nigeria.
This was a consensus position by the experts at the opening ceremony of the 3rd International Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Meteorological Society (NMETs) held at the Department of Meteorology and Climate Science of Federal University of Technology, Akure on December 2.
The Conference theme is, “Climate Change: Challenges and Prospects”.
Delivering the keynote address, the Director-General of Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Prof. Sani Abubakar Mashi, represented by Prof. Peter Odjugo, said the challenges posed by the threat of climate change, has necessitated the search for alternative sources of energy that could reduce Green House Gasses and release of carbon dioxide emissions.
He said industrial pollution and the use of inorganic fertilizers are major causes of environmental degradation, adding that stakeholders and government at all levels, must work with researchers and scientists to proffer solutions to the clear threat of climate change and its adverse effects.
The Director General said NIMET is deploying its expertise to combat climate change effects in Nigeria through mounting fully automated weather stations, generating data for research, seasonal rainfall prediction, quality weather review, and drought review and crop weather calendar.
Mashi said climate change is evident in the gradual increasing temperatures, sea level rise, submerging of land surfaces, flooding of coastal area and desertification of the north.
He said effects of climate change could be tackled by all with afforestation, healthy attitude and migration.
Also speaking, the President, Nigerian Meteorological Society, Prof. Clement Akosile said climate change knows no barrier because the parameters that causes it is global and non-discriminating.
“In the same way that technological advancement came along with climate change due to unwholesome habits, we require another ingenuity of technological advancement to take us out of the “woods” of climate change.”
He said, the environment has been degraded due to the particulate matters and non-friendly gases that go into the atmosphere due to the new technological taste and desire for energy and luxury without concurrent care thus causing a global damage.
Akosile said the conference is out to examine and proffer workable solutions to the challenges of climate change.
In his welcome remarks ,the Vice Chancellor, Prof Joseph Fuwape represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Development, Prof. Philip Oguntunde said climate change poses a threat to the natural foundations of our lives and has become an essential threat to Nigeria.
He said the conference provides a very unique opportunity to become a regional hub for the exchange of ideas and experience in meteorology and climate science.
There were lead papers from keynote speaker, Professor Babatunde Rabiu, Director/Chief Executive, and Centre for Atmospheric Research, CAR, NARSDA, Professor Theophilus Odekule, Department of Geography, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun State, and Dr. Elijah Adefisan, Program Science Director, African, SWIFT, ACMAD, Niger Republic.
Professor Chilekwu Okogbue, who led the FUTA team that put the conference together, said the University would continue to lead the drive for excellence in learning and research and advances in meteorology and climate sciences.
