Vulnerability and adaptations of Niger-delta coast to sea level rise

Abstract

Human activities, primarily the burning of fossil fuels and changes in land use and land cover are increasing the atmospheric concentration of green house gasses, which alter radioactive balance and tend to warm the atmosphere. Changes in green house gases are projected to lead to regional and global changes in temperature, precipitation, and other climate variables- resulting in increases in global soil moisture, mean sea levels and prospects for more severe extreme high temperature events, floods and drought. In Africa, while some countries are classified as water scarce due to successive back to back drought years having devastating effects on ground water quality, others in the coastal zones, particularly Gulf of Guinea where the Niger Delta is located, could be inundated due to climate change induced sea level rise. Both climate change scenarios, results in not only water quality being impacted negatively, but also threatens fisheries. This paper addresses the threat to aquatic ecosystems in Africa due to climate change in general and the vulnerability and adaptation options for Nigeria’s Delta coast in particular. Challenges on the path of Africa’s effort to combat climate changes, such as the Kyoto Protocol (with its flexibility mechanism, joint implementation, and clean development mechanism approaches, among others); social justice and Global Coupled Circulation Models (GCCMs) as it relates to climate prediction in the region, will be focused. Resilient and adaptation approaches to climate change mitigation, will be highlighted also for Africa’s and Nigeria’s Delta coast.

Keywords: Climate change, aquatic ecosystems, Niger-Delta, sea level rise, Africa

International Journal of Natural and Applied Sciences, 6(3): 281-288, 2010