Since many years back, Nigeria has involved itself with extractivism – an act of removing large quantities of raw or natural resources for the major aim of exporting with minimal processing. It has prominence with the oil and gas sector which produced an estimated 440.774 million barrels of crude oil from January to November 2021. This massive production benefitted the finances of the Nigerian government. This practice, however, has been proven to have massive implications on climate change according to environmental activists.
Executive Director of We the People, Ken Henshaw, asserted that the extractivism in the oil and gas sector is encouraging global warming and climate change as there continue to be an increase in greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. According to Henshaw, major greenhouse gases that are caused by human activity are Carbon dioxide (CO2), Nitrous oxide (N2O), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), Nitrogen trifluoride (NF3), Methane (CH4), Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6); some of them include industrial gases.
Deforestation contributes to climate change issues.
At a training for students of the School of Ecology on Extractivism, Climate Change and Food Crises organized by Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Henshaw stated that massive global emissions is fueled by generation of electricity and heat through burning of fossil fuels like oil, coal and natural gas. Up till date, fossil fuels is responsible for most electricity while only a quarter is produced by solar, wind and other renewable sources. Fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas) are regarded as massive contributors to global climate change as they account for about 75 percent greenhouse gas emissions and over 80 percent of all carbon dioxide emissions.
Deforestation, another form of extractivism, also fuels climate change issues in the country. Cutting down of forests for timber, creation of farms and pastures, and other reasons cause emissions. When trees are cut down, they release carbon that has been stored in them for thousands of years into the atmosphere. Forests’ absorption of carbon dioxide makes their destruction limit the ability of nature make the atmosphere free of emissions. The Nigerian government makes massive profit from the practice but input little effort into protection of nature and the environment.
The Earth is becoming an unsuitable inhabitation for humans.
According to Henshaw, the prevailing development paradigm in Nigeria ignores the true meaning of humanity and the rudiments of wellbeing beyond economic indicators and growth patterns. In Nigeria, many communities have been displaced, deprived of livelihood and good health as a result of oil spillage. He therefore asked that there is a re-examination of the essentials of development, sustainability and wellbeing. There has to be an answer to how extraction of natural resources contribute to wellbeing; whether or not multi-nationals can be trusted with private ownership of natural resources that have huge impacts on humans: lives.
Director of Home of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Nnimmo Bassey, affirmed the unsustainability of extractivism as it was introduced by colonialism. This act has put the Earth at risk as it is becoming an unsuitable inhabitation for the people. Climate Change caused by human activity has caused food crises, droughts, sea level rise, desertification, floods, coastal erosion, marked temperature rise and others. These climate change effects has led to conflicts, forced migrations and famines. Despite these challenges, humans lack the readiness to transit to more harmless manners of production and consumption.
Schools of ecology should be established to ensure a livable future.
HOMEF director advised that Nigerians educate themselves on the ecological costs of these oil and gas resources. There should be schools of ecology that provide a framework for the construction of transparent socio-economic relations that grows interaction between people, communities, nations and even Mother Earth. Enactment of these schools will serve as a reminder that there are individuals, groups and communities who are striving to build a livable future. Achievement of this objective brought about the establishment of the School of Ecology on Extractivism, Climate and Food crises. Policy makers were also urged to include youths in policy making.
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Extractivism threatens Mother Earth. – Extractivism in the oil & gas sector causes global warming & climate change. – Express your point of view.
Nigeria has a big problem in term of the ecology maintenance and most of this problem is cause by human factors which can be avoidable but because of the citizen doesn’t care in doing the right thing.
The issue of climate change is what is posing difficulty to earth. We need to do better at the way we extract oil and gas. Their production shouldn’t cause damage to the environment.
We humans are the main cause of climate change menace through the emotion of various chemical substances into the air. People should try and desist from such action.
I will urge all Nigerians to stop extractivism in every way either by fossil fuel emission of deforestation and promote a sustainable environmental development.
Extractivism threatens Mother Earth. We have to do something before it becomes worse. Life is precious and sweet. Any activity that will threaten earth should be put to stop.
The extraction of oil and gas has placed implications on climate change which had negatively affected environments. It would be nice if better ways to extract oil and gas are being explored, it will promote the well being and bring balance to the environment.
The carbon that trees have been storing for thousands of years is released into the atmosphere when they are cut down. Another form of extractivism, deforestation, exacerbates climate change problems in the nation.
Nigerians have to stop engaging in this act because it is killing the environment and that is not helping us at all.
This climate change has affected the growth of a lot of things especially food products and that is sad because our access to food will be reduced.
The youths have to be involved in policy making in the country because we also ought to have a say on things that will happen in the country.
Hmm, the government is really disappointing because they do not place a greater emphasis on the essence of our well-being and happiness rather than merely focusing on economic growth.
Most of Nigeria’s ecological problems can be traced back to human actions, but unfortunately, the country’s citizens don’t seem particularly interested in preventing them.
Better methods of oil and gas extraction should be investigated since they will improve environmental balance and human well-being. Because forests absorb carbon dioxide, cutting them down limits nature’s capacity to keep emissions to a minimum.
The issue of climate change people should try and get away from the that might cause climate change because we are the cause of climate change . Good ways in production oil & gas should be done not the way that will affect the environment
Improvement of our environment is important we should not participate in issue that can cause climate change and oil and gas extraction should not cause of climate change proper way to afford that should be done
The rate of extraction of oil in Nigeria is clearly excessive, those in charge should slow it down a bit so as to avoid putting trillion lives at risk
Too much of anything is always bad, the extractors should learn to be moderate , and not cause damage to our environment
The environmental effects of climate change are exacerbated by the oil and gas industry’s contribution to that change. it would benefit society and restore ecological harmony.
The Nigerian government is all after how they can maximize profit but not after the natural balance of the ecosystem. The facts still remains that the extractivism in the oil and gas sector of Nigeria is causing havoc in the oil producing areas and little to none were done to resuscitate areas that were mostly impact by their activities.
Extractivism here in Nigeria is mounting extreme pressure on the mother thereby upsetting the natural ecosystem of nature. These has led to greenhouse effect depleting the ozone layer and exposing us to the ultra violet ray of the sun which cause skin cancer. In the oil producing region of the country, oil spillage is having adverse effect on their habitat making it difficult to fish and farm. It is rather unfortunate that our government is more concern about generating revenue rather than the wellbeing of the citizens.