Niger Delta Region of Nigeria, Climate Change and the way Forward

Definite environmental problems including climate change are visible since the inception of oil exploration in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria in the last 50 years. Incessant oil spill has damaged the ecosystem destroying plants on land and in water. The rich mangrove of the coast of the gulf of guinea is seriously depleted. Much of the land is left bare without plants thus leading to excess of carbon in the atmosphere. Gas flaring is not reduced till today. Trucks, many which are ill maintained and coming for oil business from all the land sends much emission into the air. The deforestation due to oil spill, gas flaring and emissions from vehicles, all contribute greatly to excess carbon. This causes overheating of the atmosphere and rise in temperature. Thus, there is excessive evaporation from the nearby ocean and water bodies and ultimately leading to very heavy rainfall and flooding. It is observed that the weather conditions including rainfall pattern has changed greatly in the last 20 years. Too much rainfall has caused serious soil erosion, leaching and poor soil fertility leading to poor agricultural productivity. These problems can be reduced by enforcing laws to control oil spill and gas flaring. Emissions can also be controlled by blending biodiesel with diesel fuel. Fortunately, a very effective biodiesel, the Dura palm oil biodiesel obtained from the Dura Oil palm has been found to cut down emissions of fuel pollutants such as CO by up to 60%