In July 2012, major flooding in many parts of Nigeria caused severe erosion. Livelihoods were affected as land was washed away, properties were destroyed, lives were lost, and many people were displaced in the flooding. Environmental challenges have been part of daily life for many Nigerians, particularly in the last few years.
In Northern Nigeria, trees are felled for fuelwood, and land becomes barren; desertification has become a major issue. The ecosystem services which trees bring to the landscape are vital for protecting soils in times of drought. The high cost of modern cooking fuels such as gas and lack of access to alternative, efficient fuel cooking stoves means that many local communities don’t have any options.
Some people are taking action. Michael Segun Bolarinwa from Lagos state in Nigeria has been raising awareness of the consequences of felling trees in areas prone to soil erosion. He has also been promoting replanting of trees in these areas.
Mr Bolarinwa says, “I strongly believe that individual effort in maintaining the environment will ensure a better environment for everyone to live in and reduce the effect of climate change, […] which is a major challenge in the modern world.”
However, action also needs to be taken at the national level if mitigation interventions are to be successful and timely. In 2003 Nigeria submitted its first national communication to the UNFCCC, which contains actions to reduce desertification such as forest protection. Furthermore, Nigeria is actively engaged in REDD+.
Monitoring progress is key and a number of approaches have been proposed in the first communication, including the use of remote sensing to effectively monitor deforestation and forest degradation. New tools to enable effective and efficient monitoring of forests in developing countries have recently been proposed by Wageningen UR and could be relevant for Nigeria.
We must wait to see what commitments can be made by Nigeria at the 2013 COP19 in Warsaw, but until then, communities themselves are making strong efforts to protect their own environment.
Blogpost based on input by Michael Segun Bolarinwa
Blogpost edited by Sarah Carter
Photo: M.S. Bolarinwa
