…Fast growing population is threat to environment from methane emissions
Nigeria seems to have renewed her efforts to capture a chunk of the huge fallouts from the $460billion expected savings from the mitigation of methane emissions.
Nigeria is in the top 10 highest methane emission countries in the world which are said to contribute 50 percent of the total global size.
A whopping $1bn is set aside to achieve the 45percent which is expected to create such huge size of savings.
Nigeria is gunning to reduce its emissions by the targeted 45 percent by 2030. To achieve this, Nigeria is said to have been carved out into zones for mitigation efforts.
The South-South is being undertaken by experts led by Brown Louis Ogbefun, executive director, the African Initiative for Transparency, Accountability, and Responsible Leadership (AfriTAL), who works in collaboration with the Environmental Centre for Oil Spills and Gas Flaring (ECOSGF).
The team mounted a roundtable discussion in the week in Port Harcourt to strategise on how to push the oil region away from methane emission from human activities (anthropogenic sources) who said the wastes are typically stored or treated in waste management systems that promote anaerobic conditions (e.g., liquid or slurry in lagoons, ponds, tanks, or pits) and produce biogas, a mixture of about 70 per cent methane, 30 percent carbon dioxide (CO2), and less than one percent hydrogen sulfide.
Voices from the south-south states
Cross River State:
Experts from the Ministry of Environment in Cross River State said gas flaring was reducing fast, thanks to government actions. They said methane emission also comes from mining activities. “Yes, human activities generate a lot of methane emissions and this is a major greenhouse gas that causes global warming.”
It was mentioned that population growth is tantamount to growth in wastes unless management processes were installed quickly ahead.
Global warming affects all, they said, and so, all hands must be on deck to fight it: the government at all levels, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the media, communities, the youth, women, and all.
Ubi Ubana, a director in the Ministry of Agriculture, Cross River State, said: “Agricultural practices contribute about 24 percent of methane emission. Our duty here thus is to work ways for mitigation.”
Akwa Ibom
Officials from the Ministry of Agricultural Resources said they were pleased to be in attendance because the matter affects everybody. Now, they stated, it is clear that it is not only gas flaring that causes methane emission and heatwave.
According to Monday Williams, “Bad farming, bad agaric practices, and bad waste disposal methods abound around the communities.
“Akwa Ibom State is out to build systems to reduce methane emission and put the schemes to use. Little wonder that state has been declared five times as best in environment and sanitation.
“Akwa Ibom is thus welcoming investors in waste recycling whose activities and schemes would reduce methane emission. Soon, there will be no more dumping of waste because it would be put to economic use through recycling.
“There is adequate security for any investor coming into Akwa Ibom State, and this assurance is attracting investors. One has signed to build CNG in Ibeno for 1.2 mmtpa. Another company has just acquired license for a 1.8mmtpa. These will reduce emissions in our state.”
Another official, Gloria Etuk, said: “Our state is working hard on methane emission reduction and mitigation.
The Deputy Speaker of Akwa Ibom State, Christopher Iwang PhD, said for every wood we burn, plant a water leaf. Do we each in the Roundtable consider ourselves a concerned participant, or we just see ourselves as mere representatives of our organisations?
“Do we consider planting flowers and fruit trees around our houses instead of paving everywhere with stones? Environment is a major matter in the Niger Delta region. The Ministry of Niger Delta has not been vocal or active on climate change and environment matters.
“State governments and local council do not seem to do anything in the matter. There is need for all stakeholders to up the game. “Green environment is the new way to go. Rwanda is a case study. Consider the carbon cycle and know that it’s what trees breathe out (oxygen) that we breathe in to breathe out the oxygen the trees need.
“We cut down tall flowers so they do touch electric poles, why do we not consider burying the wires so trees can grow and protect us from nature?”
He advised that no land should be left vacant. “Plant even in another’s empty land. It can be harvested by anybody, plant first.”
Rivers State
Rivers State livestock expert, Godswill Ukoipoko said that Nigeria signed 22 global treaties on environment. There are other international laws in operation. Rivers State laws are to contain livestock rearing and activities including slaughtering. Rivers slaughters over 400 cattle every day.
Awareness on handling of animals especially cattle is now on the increase. Laws are there but enforcement is the issue. That is the major weakness.
Next Options: Energy contributes 30 per cent; agric activities contribute 45 percent, waste is 20 per cent. There is need for Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for every project to be executed so that the harm to environment would be determined and mitigated in advance.
Experts weigh in
Anthony Onoja, professor from Uniport:
When methane is very high, it becomes 50 times dangerous more dangerous. Nigeria has reason to worry because of presence of hydrocarbon industry. Nigeria ranks in the top 10 in the world. The top 10 contribute to 50 percent of global pollution.
How Nigeria has tried to curtail it: By joining the Conference of Parties (COP) agreement. From 1850 to 1950 very little methane emission in the world; from 1950 to 1960 there was an increase; and to 2000 more increase; 2020 witnessed a drop up to global average because of global actions including actions by Nigeria.
On update of researches: Technology suggestions include policies to provide framework for actions. Solar energy will reduce greenhouse emissions. New cars are better than Tokunbo that emit so much. Firewood for cooking is too bad. There is need for tech devices in cooking. Organic fertilizers can be encouraged to reduce methane emissions involved in chemical fertilizers.
Nosa Aigbedon of NESREA
Nigeria cannot pursue economic gains at the expense of environmental harmony. Government role is on awareness and signing of treaties and backing these up with legislation and regulatory agencies. Good environment is absence of pollution. So, government creates laws to enforce treaties it entered into.
Environment is not on the exclusive list, which means all tiers of government are expected to carry out activities concerning environmental protection. Methane is locally generated, so local councils can intervene.
Monday Williams
Gaps in laws and policies are many, from community to local council to state to federal levels. Everybody is involved. Citizens’ behaviour is big issue. Gas emission threats are not a joke. Gas cannot be seen, so it can be ignored.
Carefree disposal of wastes, easy dropping of banana peels off cars, other habits destroy the environment.
Clara Obi-Chinwoke PhD
Weather issues are a huge challenge to agric practice in rural areas. There is lack of involvement of rural farmers in policy formulation and law making.
Weather information hangs right there in the cities without any constructive efforts to draw it down to the farmers that need it.
Epidemiologist from Bayelsa
Need for surveillance system of emissions. We meet rashes that are strange and cannot be explained. There is need to understand the risk factors in what is wrong in the environment and in pollution.
Conclusion
Wake Up Call of COP28 is; ‘Go back and take actions.’ Nigerians have to take actions. The group led by Ogbeifun of AfriTAL would need to push the people of the South-South to go back home and take action.
