Volume 3 (Issue 2) 2023 Article 13

ABSTRACT:

Climate change is an adverse environmental phenomenon that is causing enormous concern all over the world. It refers to some anomalies in the climate system that is a result of human activities. These anomalies include increase in the concentration of GHGs, HFCs and CFCs in earth’s atmosphere, which will ultimately lead to global warming. In fact, global warming has already begun, as earth’s temperature has risen between 0.4 and 0.8°C in the last 100 years. Nigeria is recognized as being vulnerable to climate change because 70% of her population of about 200 million people are employed by agriculture that depends mainly of rain-fed system of production. It is also known that half of this population is considered to be poor. Borno state, located in the drier part of Nigeria is affected by climate change by way of decreased and poor rainfall distribution as well as high temperatures affecting agricultural production and human health all leading to food insecurity, poor health, high level of poverty and low economic development. Already out of the 27 Local Government Areas (LGA) of the state about two thirds of these LGAs have their populations displaced and entire communities are taking shelters as environmental refuges in IDP camps due to insecurity linked to environmental degradation. Climate change and global warming if left unchecked will cause adverse effects on livelihoods not only in Borno State but throughout Nigeria. The Local Government administrations need to rise up to the challenges posed by climate change to adapt to the changing climate to build a resilient community and economy through sustainable development.