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Nigeria and how it is affected by rising temperatures

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Nigeria and how it is affected by rising temperatures

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Nigeria has started to experience really high temperatures which have been affecting their society. There have been reported a lot of health impacts including their electricity grid collapsing. Frequent power outages are also due to these increase in temperatures as well as higher prices in fuel. Meningitis has also been more easily spread due to these extreme heat and dry conditions. Lastly, their crops and their livestock have started to decline because the weather is way too hot for what they are used to.

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Nigeria reeling from extreme heat fueled by climate change - Alliance for Science

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Experts say that the ongoing extreme heat in Nigeria is having a range of health impacts, and most of these are not being routinely recorded.

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I chose this goal because I feel like as we move forward in life, taking care of our environment and climate will benefit our well-being. Being clean and cautious of what we do to our climate will benefit not only our health but different ecosystems.

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Goal 13 | Department of Economic and Social Affairs

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Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

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Climate records shattering in the past years

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Climate records shattering in the past years

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On the SDG website one fact that caught my attention about climate action was that a study showed that the year 2023 broke every single climate indicator and was the warmest year on record according to the World Meteorological Organization. Also the fact that Carbon dioxide levels are 150% above pre-industrial levels.

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What places are at risk due to climate change?

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What places are at risk due to climate change?

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I began wondering where this climate change took place. I found that the top 10 countries affected by it were in the African region. Problems like flash floods, food insecurity, and earthquakes all affect Somalia, Syria, and The Democratic Republic of Congo.

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10 countries at risk of climate disaster

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The countries most vulnerable to climate change have contributed little to its cause.

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"stepped-up efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-induced impacts"

These include:

1. Climate-related hazards in all countries

2.Integrating climate change measures into national policies

3.Strategies and planning; and improving education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity with respect to climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning.

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Policies that have helped make progress to Climate Action

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Policies that have helped make progress to Climate Action

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This website describes different policies that governments around the world have established and have had progress done to stop climate change. For example, it talks about Colombia and how they enacted a green building code in 2015. By the end of 2022, they had more than 11.5 meters of green space certified by the IFC's EDGE program.

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All countries have promised to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to stop climate change. But promises are one thing and actions are another. Eight years after the 2015 Paris Agreement set ambitious, achievable goals to curb emissions and adapt to global climatic shifts, the world is still on track for unprecedented climate change -- and bureaucratic, political, and financial hurdles have stymied thousands of climate-friendly policies around the world.

Yet governments across the globe have made tangible progress and many climate policies have been successfully implemented. A new World Bank report, Reality Check: Lessons from 25 Policies Advancing a Low-Carbon Futureshowcases examples across sectors and five continents, from countries as disparate as Egypt, Niger, China and Peru.

"These are real policies in countries with very different income levels and political contexts," says Axel van Trotsenburg, World Bank Senior Managing Director for Development Policy and Partnerships. "They provide invaluable insights on how countries actually design and implement climate policies, and on the hard compromises that doing so can require, such as the rapid expansion of solar power in India, the use of waste to generate affordable energy in Mexico, and the greening of Colombia's construction industry."

Climate policies typically try to achieve multiple objectives at once, such as reducing air pollution or building energy security or competitiveness. Successful climate policymaking often involves finding middle ground, so policies are easier to implement and win support, according to the report.

Decarbonizing Transport in Peru and South Africa

For example, Lima, Peru, is ranked as one of the world's worst cities for traffic congestion. Although 60% of trips take place on public transport, private vehicle use has increased rapidly, causing air pollution, traffic accidents, and severe road congestion - and more than one-third of workers spend 90 minutes a day commuting. In 2010, Peru's government issued the first country-wide law to improve conditions for bicycles and promote cycling. The law did not immediately trigger bicycle-friendly investments in Peru's cities: in 2019, only 0.9% of all trips in Lima were made by bicycle. But during the Covid 19 pandemic, Lima added almost 100 kilometers of bike lanes and separated them from the roadway - measures that helped convince some commuters to switch to biking. The use of bicycles in Lima rose from 3.7% before the pandemic to 6.2% in 2021. The plan also expects for the modal share for bikes to grow from 0.9 percent in 2019 to 11.6 percent by 2050 and estimates that the project could reduce emissions in Lima by 0.64 ton of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e) by 2030 and 1.03 tCO2e by 2050. Building on this progress, the city plans to develop a 1,383 km cycle network by 2040.

In South Africa, residents of the largest cities face long commutes from home to the workplace as a legacy of apartheid. Bus rapid transit (BRT) is seen as part of the solution under South Africa's National Green Transport Strategy for easing traffic congestion and fast-growing GHG emissions from the transport sector. But BRT systems initially failed to coordinate with the loosely regulated, ubiquitous minibuses used by many residents because of their low cost. A pilot project in Cape Town set out minibus operating routes and schedules in and around the Mitchell's Plain township. The increased efficiency demonstrated by this system offers a possible way forward for transport in Sub-Saharan Africa, helping make African cities more livable, more productive, and less carbon intensive.

Improving Energy Efficiency of Buildings in Türkiye and Colombia

Buildings and appliance consume about 30% of global energy and are responsible for 27% of carbon dioxide emissions. Energy efficient construction is, therefore, a potential game-changer, but bureaucratic red tape, financing, low incentives, and inertia often get in the way of more sustainable building. Türkiye launched an initiative to renovate as many as 500 central government buildings and develop a market for broader public building renovations. So far, the project has renovated 30 buildings, with an average energy savings of 30%. Another 120 buildings started renovations in 2023.

When it comes to green building, Colombia has seen a remarkable transformation. Colombia's mandatory green building code was enacted in 2015. The government introduced tax incentives for technical solutions such as insulation and energy-efficient air conditioning systems, and received catalytic financing from the International Finance Corporation, the private sector arm of the World Bank. By the end of 2022, Colombia had 11.5 million square meters of green space certified under IFC's EDGE program; in 2022 alone, 27% of new buildings were EDGE certified as green.

Taxing Carbon in British Columbia

A carbon tax aims to reduce greenhouse emissions by taxing activities that emit CO2 but can also be an efficient way for government to raise revenues. In 2008, the Canadian province of British Columbia began adding additional taxes to all fossil fuels purchased for transportation, home heating, and electricity, with the carbon tax covering 70% of GHG emissions. At the same time, the government clearly communicated that the tax would not raise the overall tax burden of firms and households but would finance reduction in other (less efficient) taxes. The carbon tax rate started at Can$10/ tCO ₂e and gradually increased to $50/ tCO ₂ e by 2022. Extensive empirical evidence finds that the tax reduced emissions and inequality, raised growth and employment, and the reform now receives majority support from citizens.

Restoring Soil in the Sahel

In Africa's Sahel region, where agriculture is the main employment and key for food security, healthy soils are key economic assets. But soil is also the dominant carbon sink, containing three times more carbon dioxide than the vegetation above ground. To preserve this valuable resource, farmers have adopted low-cost, efficient traditional practices, such as agroforestry and conventional rainwater harvesting techniques, to capture rainfall, reduce runoff, restore soils, and improve agriculture productivity. In Niger, farmer-managed natural regeneration increased yields by 16-30% between 2003 and 2008, while adding nearly 5 million hectares of tree cover.

Decarbonization: 'Not a One Size Fits All Effort'

Decarbonization is not a one-size-fits-all effort, whether the solution involves new technology or traditional techniques. "The case studies outlined in this report show that with the right mix of political support and policy design we can decarbonize development," said Juergen Voegele, Vice President for Sustainable Development at the World Bank.

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Reality Check: Lessons from 25 Policies Advancing a Low-Carbon Future

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Thousands of climate policies have failed to stop climate change, yet some governments have made tangible progress. The World Bank's Reality Check report highlights 25 successful climate policies from countries as disparate as Egypt, Niger, China, and Peru.

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Rising temperatures are also affecting Antarctica. We should pay more attention to this because it will throw everyone around the world off balance. Like how it says on the website, Antarctica regulates global climate by slowing global heating, it drives ocean currents, and helps diminish the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. However climate change is disrupting these systems.

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The polar regions are the first to be affected by the heating climate, and dramatic changes are already underway in Antarctica.

Floating ice shelves are melting rapidly, raising concerns about sudden, uncontrollable sea level rise. The Antarctic Peninsula, a popular tourist destination, is one of the most rapidly warming places in the Southern Hemisphere, with average summer temperatures increasing by over 5°F (3°C) between 1970 and 2020.

Since the 1970s the Southern Ocean has absorbed as much as 75 percent of the excess heat created by humans, and 40 percent of the carbon dioxide. Warmer, more acidic oceans are already impacting Antarctic ecosystems, with many penguin colonies shrinking, and in some cases disappearing altogether.

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Climate Crisis in Antarctica - Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition

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Antarctica and its ice, ocean and ecosystems play a critical role in regulating the global climate. Today, Antarctica is at a crossroads. The global climate crisis is interrupting natural processes across large parts of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean.

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This TED talk video really shared a lot of new information that I had no idea about. She made some really great points and shared that in the middle east temperatures were rising more than twice the global average. Which is a really bad jump from what it was in past years.

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Language Shouldn't Be a Barrier to Climate Action | Sophia Kianni | TED Countdown

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In Africa, global warming is a really big issue. It is said that by 2030, 118 billion extremely poor people will be exposed to extreme drought, floods, and high temperatures. Not only that, but the cost to even try to stop climate change is really high and is not possible for them to adapt to. Although it is reported that exceptional rainfall has caused many deaths in both Sudan and South Sudan.

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Africa faces disproportionate burden from climate change and adaptation costs

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Temperatures: In Africa, 2023 was in the top three warmest years in the 124-year record, depending on the dataset used. The mean temperature was 0.61° C higher than the 1991-2020 average and 1.23° C above the 1961-1990 long-term baseline.

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Intense heat waves have led to severe impacts across the African continent.

1. Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria and many others have experienced temperatures above 40°C.

2.These heat waves have led to many deaths that are often looked over but those that have been reported are a large amount.

3.These rising temperatures have also been affecting agriculture work and harvesting seasons.

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Throughout April and continuing into May 2024, extreme record-breaking heat led to severe impacts across the Asian continent.

From Israel, Palestine, Lebanon and Syria, in the West, to Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines in the East, large regions of Asia experienced temperatures well above 40°C for many days. The heat was particularly difficult for people living in refugee camps and informal housing, as well as for outdoor workers.

Heatwaves are arguably the deadliest type of extreme weather event and while the death toll is often underreported, hundreds of deaths have been reported already in most of the affected countries, including Palestine, Bangladesh, India, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia and the Philippines. The heat also had a large impact on agriculture, causing crop damage and reduced yields, as well as on education, with holidays having to be extended and schools closed in several countries, affecting millions of students.

Extreme heat in South Asia during the pre-monsoon season is becoming more frequent. Two previous World Weather Attribution studies focused on extreme heat events in the region: the 2022 India and Pakistan heatwave and the 2023 humid heatwave that hit India, Bangladesh, Lao PDR and Thailand . Despite differences in the nature and impact of the events (drier heat in 2022 leading to widespread loss of harvest, and humid heat in 2023 with greater impacts on people), both studies found that human-induced climate change influenced the events, making them around 30 times more likely and much hotter.

Scientists from Lebanon, Sweden, Malaysia, the Netherlands, the United States and the United Kingdom collaborated to assess to what extent human-induced climate change altered the likelihood and intensity of the extreme heat in three Asian regions: 1) West Asia, including Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine and Jordan; 2) the Philippines in East Asia; and 3) South and Southeast Asia, including India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Lao PDR, Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia.

Using published peer-reviewed methods , the scientists analysed how human-induced climate change altered the likelihood and intensity of the 3-day April heatwave in West Asia and a 15-day April heatwave in the Philippines. Figure 1 shows these two regions, outlined in blue, while figure 2 shows the South Asia region. For this region, the analysis focused on observed weather data, but not climate models, as the affected region largely overlaps with the study areas of the previous studies. The observational data for the whole month of April confirmed that the role of climate change is likely of similar magnitude to the heatwaves studied in 2022 and 2023, and the results of a full attribution analysis would not be significantly different.

Main Findings

The heatwave exacerbated already precarious conditions faced by internally displaced people, migrants and those in refugee camps and conflict zones across West Asia. In Gaza, extreme heat worsened the living conditions of 1.7 million displaced people. The heatwave added pressure to the many challenges already faced by people in refugee camps and conflict zones, such as water shortages, difficulties to access medicines and poor living conditions for the large population that lives in makeshift tents that trap heat. With limited institutional support and options to adapt, the heat increases health risks and hardship.

The extreme heat has forced thousands of schools to close down in South and Southeast Asia. These regions have previously also incurred school lockdowns during COVID-19, increasing the education gap faced by children from low-income families, enhancing the risk of dropouts, and negatively impacts the development of human capital.

Heat impacts certain groups like construction workers, transport drivers, farmers, fishermen etc. disproportionately. It both impacts their livelihoods and causes a reduction in income, and results in personal health risks.

In the current climate, warmed by 1.2°C since pre-industrial times due to human activities, this kind of extreme heat event is not very rare. In West Asia, the chance of it occurring in any given year is around 10% - or once every 10 years. In the Philippines, the chance of such an event happening in any given year is also around 10% - or once every 10 years under the current El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) conditions, and a 1-in-20 year event, overall, without the influence of El Niño. In the larger South Asia region, an extremely warm April such as this one is a somewhat rarer event, with a 3% probability of happening in a given year - or once every 30 years.

To estimate the influence that human-caused climate change has had on extreme heat in West Asia and the Philippines, we combine climate models with observations. Observations and models both show a strong increase in likelihood and intensity. In the Philippines, the change in likelihood is so large that the event would have been impossible without human-caused climate change. In West Asia, climate change increased the probability of the event by about a factor of 5.

In terms of intensity, we estimate that a heatwave such as this one in West Asia is today about 1.7°C warmer than it would have been without the burning of fossil fuels. In the Philippines the intensity increase due to human-induced climate change is about 1.2°C.

We also look at the role of the ENSO. In the Philippines, we find that the current El Niño made the heatwave about 0.2°C hotter. In West Asia, on the other hand, we do not find any influence of ENSO in the event, which is consistent with previous research.

If the world warms to 2°C above pre-industrial global mean temperatures, in both regions the likelihood of the extreme heat would increase further, by a factor of 2 in West Asia and 5 over the Philippines, while the temperatures will become another 1°C hotter in West Asia and 0.7°C hotter in the Philippines.

In South Asia, a region that we have studied twice in the last two years, our analysis was simpler and based only on observations. Similarly to what we found in previous studies, we observe a strong climate change signal in the 2024 April mean temperature. We find that these extreme temperatures are now about 45 times more likely and 0.85ºC hotter. These results align with our previous studies, where we found that climate change made the extreme heat about 30 times more likely and 1ºC hotter.

Existing heatwave action plans and strategies are challenged by rapidly growing cities, increase in informal settlements and exposed populations, reduction in green spaces and rise in energy demands. While many cities have been implementing solutions like cool roofs, nature based infrastructure design, and adherence to climate risk informed building codes, there is limited focus on retrofitting and upgrading of existing buildings and settlements, with infrastructure deficits (e.g. asbestos roofs), to make them more liveable.

Some countries such as India have comprehensive heat action plans in place, yet to protect some of the most vulnerable people, these must be expanded with mandatory regulations, such as workplace interventions for all workers to address heat stress, such as scheduled rest breaks, fixed work hours, and rest-shade-rehydrate programs (RSH) are necessary, but yet to become part of worker protection guidelines in the affected regions.

The recurrent heat events and associated impacts every year in these regions in the past few years have enabled heatwaves to be recognised as a serious hazard of concern in most countries, with proper guidelines and action plans in place. At the same time, cross-sectoral collaborative strategies that focus on providing immediate relief during the hot days are needed.

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Climate change made the deadly heatwaves that hit millions of highly vulnerable people across Asia more frequent and extreme

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Throughout April and continuing into May 2024, extreme record-breaking heat led to severe impacts across the Asian continent. From Israel, Palestine, Lebanon and Syria, in the West, to Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines in the East, large regions of Asia experienced temperatures well above 40°C for many days.

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Europe is said to be the fastest warming continent. These rises in temperatures are threatening food and energy security, ecosystems, water resources, and people's health. The people most affected are those living in more rural areas. Meaning that low-income families are the ones exposed to air pollution, noise and higher temperatures.

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Climate change is already impacting Europeans' daily lives and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Europe is expected to get warmer, some regions getting drier, while others wetter. These changes will not only impact our health but also the ecosystems we depend on. The EU is preparing to live with a changing climate through various adaptation measures.

Climate change is happening now - and even if we effectively reduce global emissions, it will continue to impact our lives. Flooding, droughts, heatwaves and other climate-related hazards are becoming more intense, longer and more frequent. These hazards carry significant health and economic impacts. While all Europeans are affected by climate change, some communities and regions are more vulnerable.

Extreme weather events like storms, heatwaves and flooding accounted for 85,000 to 145,000 human fatalities across Europe, over the past 40 years. Over 85% of those fatalities were due to heatwaves. Economic losses from weather and climate-related extremes in Europe reached around half a trillion euros over the same period.

Less than a third of non-human losses were covered by insurance. Closing the climate protection gap by increasing insurance coverage can help increase societies' ability to recover from disasters, reduce vulnerability, and promote resilience.

Building infrastructure that is resistant to hazards and using nature-based solutions like floodplains are examples of adaptation measures. Climate change adaptation measures are critical to increase our resilience and reduce disaster risks for all people in the EU.

Europe's regions will need to prepare for different impacts

While climate change impacts are felt throughout the EU, the impacts felt in different regions will vary. Our assessment also shows that some regions are more vulnerable:

Changes in rainfall will differ considerably throughout Europe, with expected heavy rain in the north. Combined with more frequent heatwaves, lower rainfall will present a greater risk of drought and forest fires in the south.

Storm intensity is projected to increase across Europe, but changes in frequency are projected to differ across regions.

Snowfall is projected to decrease in central and southern Europe, whereas mixed changes are anticipated for northern Europe.

Sea levels will rise in all areas except the North Baltic Sea.

Sea surface temperature is projected to increase in all European seas. Europe's seas are also expected to become more acidic.

Climate-ADAPT platform: Sharing adaptation knowledge for a climate-resilient Europe

Inequality leaves some communities more vulnerable

The most vulnerable in the EU are most likely to be exposed to climate change-related environmental health impacts.

Vulnerable groups like the elderly, children and those in poor health tend to be more adversely affected by environmental health hazards than the general population.

Groups of lower socioeconomic status tend to be more negatively affected by environmental health hazards because of greater exposure and higher vulnerability.

Urban areas have disproportionate exposure to air pollution, noise, and high temperatures - especially among lower socioeconomic groups.

Climate change impacts nature, too

Climate change is already significantly impacting plant and animal species, as well as where they can survive and thrive.

Some species are expected to move northward several hundred kilometres, or toward higher elevations, while others will become extinct. A landscape fragmented by transport infrastructure might hamper their ability to move and adapt.

Climate change is also likely to exacerbate the problem of invasive species in Europe. As climatic conditions change, some locations may become more favourable to non-native species, which then begin to thrive and negatively impact their new environments by outcompeting native species, altering habitats, and contributing to biodiversity loss.

Climate change also affects the interaction of species that depend on each other for food or other reasons.

More information

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Climate change impacts, risks and adaptation

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Climate change is already impacting Europeans' daily lives and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Europe is expected to get warmer, some regions getting drier, while others wetter. These changes will not only impact our health but also the ecosystems we depend on.

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Major weather events like typhoons, hurricanes, thunderstorms, hailstorms, and tornadoes have started to take effect in places in Central and South America. Since early years, Amazonia, northeastern Brazil, Central America, the Caribbean, and some parts of Mexico will see increased droughts to their climates. Sea levels have also started to rise meaning that shorelines have started to erode.

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Latin America's climate is changing. Precipitation patterns are shifting, temperatures are rising, and some areas are experiencing changes in the frequency and severity of weather extremes such as heavy rains. The impacts range from melting Andean glaciers to devastating floods and droughts.

The two great oceans that flank the continent-the Pacific and the Atlantic-are warming and becoming more acidic while sea level also rises.

Unfortunately, greater impact is in store for the region as both the atmosphere and oceans continue to rapidly change. Food and water supplies will be disrupted. Towns and cities and the infrastructure required to sustain them will be increasingly at risk. Human health and welfare will be adversely affected, along with natural ecosystems.

This photo story shows the devastating impacts across Latin America.

EXTREME WEATHER

Changes in climate and extreme events have severely affected Latin America. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 613 extreme climate and hydro-meteorological events occurred between 2000 and 2013. Hydro-meteorological events include typhoons and hurricanes, thunderstorms, hailstorms, tornados, blizzards, heavy snowfall, avalanches, coastal storm surges, floods including flash floods, drought, heatwaves and cold spells. This has resulted in the displacement of people, numerous fatalities and significant economic losses.

Tropical storms originating in both the Atlantic and Pacific have devastated parts of Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. Beyond the damage the storms have caused in coastal areas, their torrential rains inland have accounted for much greater devastation. According to the IPCC, in 1998, Hurricane Mitch alone affected 600,000 people- mostly because of the floods and landslides from heavy rains.

DROUGHTS

Researchers are moderately confident that Amazonia, northeastern Brazil, Central America, the Caribbean, and some parts of Mexico will see increased drought conditions. Of particular concern is the prospect of more frequent extreme droughts in the Amazon, which could push the region to a "tipping point," increasing the likelihood of a large-scale dieback of the Amazon forest.

Notable recent droughts are those that afflicted the Amazon in 2005 and 2010 and a drought in Southeastern Brazil that has extended from 2012 to late 2015. In addition, existing drought conditions in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean may be intensified by the ongoing strong 2015-2016 El Niño occurring against a backdrop of rising temperatures associated with global warming.

After four years of below normal rainfall São Paulo, Brazil was experiencing its worst drought in over 80 years by mid-2015. The city's main water system, the Cantareira reservoir, supports the water needs of 5.3 million people, but by August 2015 it was at record low levels with less than 17% of its normal water capacitydown from the 9 million before the drought. Officials in August 2015 declared the city's water situation "critical," and Moody's Investors Service in early September estimated that the Companhia de Saneamento Basico do Estado de São Paulo had roughly five months of stored water supply remaining.

The situation illustrates the vulnerability of some Latin American cities to drought as climate change alters the frequency and/or severity of drought in the region.

SEA LEVEL RISE

Oceans expand as they warm and they rise further as they receive huge amounts of freshwater from melting glaciers and ice sheets. The sea level is rising and is rise in sea level will continue do so at an accelerated pace in the future. By 2100, sea level could rise another one to four feet.

The IPCC states sea levels threaten the Latin American population-a large proportion of which lives on the coast-by contaminating freshwater aquifers, eroding shorelines, inundating low-lying areas, and increasing the risks of storm surges, according to one assessment.

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The start of 2025 was really cold compared to past years. Weather forecasters have reported that temperatures have dropped below zero in several U.S States. Not only this, but in cities like Houston, Texas, where temperatures normally stay around the 50s, the temperatures have dropped to 30 degrees or lower. These are clear signs that the environments around us are changing rapidly because of increases in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

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Another Arctic blast is on the way, but how much colder than ‘normal’ is it really?

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That depends on how you define ‘normal.’ The baseline has been creeping up as the planet warms.

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At home there are many ways that we can support climate action. Here are some examples:

1.Cutting down carbon dioxide emissions by switching to a more environmentally friendly form of transportation.

2. We are not able to control the weather but what we can do is adapt to its different forms.

3.Spread the word to others and let them know that this is real and everyone is being affected by climate change. Taking action in your community will help start that movement.

4.By helping plant more trees in forests or around you, it will benefit us by helping regulate the CO2 levels in the atmosphere.

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Climate change is one of the most challenging problems that humanity has ever faced. At stake are hundreds of millions of lives, innumerable species and ecosystems, the health and viability of the economy, and the future habitability of this planet.

Fortunately, climate change is solvable. We have the technologies. We have the science. We now need the leadership-and the courage to change course.

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Carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases are the main drivers of global warming. While climate change cannot be stopped, it can be slowed.

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How is Houston dealing with Climate Change?

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How is Houston dealing with Climate Change?

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Houston is one of the major cities that had a large amount of greenhouse gas emissions. This is largely caused by the emissions that come from our transportation. Although Houston is keeping itself on track by having an action plan already set in progress. Overall our greenhouse gas emissions did drop from what they were in 2007 because of new implements of renewable energy sources.

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WHAT IS A CLIMATE ACTION PLAN? On April 22, 2020 - the 50th anniversary of Earth Day - the City launched the science-based, community-driven Houston Climate Action Plan to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, meet the Paris Agreement goal of carbon neutrality by 2050, and lead the global energy transition.
A Climate Action Plan provides evidenced-based measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and preventative measures to address the negative outcomes of climate change. The plan will demonstrate how the City will adapt and improve its resilience to climate hazards that impact the city today as well as risks that may increase in the coming years.

To comply with the Paris Agreement, the plan will follow science-based criteria that will cap the temperature increase associated with climate change to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Scientists believe that preventing global temperatures from rising more than 1.5 degrees Celsius will avert the worst consequences of climate change. This plan will create ambitious targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and establish a pathway to meet the Paris Agreement goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050.

Community Endorsements

WHY MAKE A CLIMATE ACTION PLAN?

After three 500-year floods in as many years culminating with the largest rain event in North American history, climate change is an unprecedented challenge for Houston. Sustainability and resiliency go hand-in-hand and this plan is essential to the health and economic vitality of Houston's future. The time for bold action is now.

Developing a Climate Action Plan allows the City to develop strategies that will not only help minimize the City's carbon footprint but can help save money and improve the quality of life of residents. Co-benefits associated with climate action planning include decreased traffic and congestion, improved air quality, better access to parks and green spaces, and cost savings through energy efficiency projects.

WHO ARE OUR PARTNERS?
WHAT IS THE TIMELINE?
As experts in the field who are familiar with the Houston area, HARC will provide the technical expertise and run the models to develop the most effective climate mitigation measures. Funding for the development of the plan has been provided by CenterPoint Energy and the Jacob and Terese Hershey Foundation. Shell is providing support via Harvey recovery and resiliency planning efforts. C40 is a strategic partner aiding in the development of the city's greenhouse gas inventory and ensuring compliance with the Paris Agreement.

Interested in partnering with the City? Please email greenhouston@houstontx.gov.

On April 22, 2020, in honor of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, Mayor Sylvester Turner and the City of Houston's Office of Sustainability released the Houston Climate Action Plan, a science-based, community-driven strategy for the City of Houston to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, meet the Paris Agreement goal of carbon neutrality by 2050, and lead a global energy transition.
WHAT ARE HOUSTON'S SOURCES OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS?

In 2014 Houston emitted 34.3 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e). Houston's biggest sources of greenhouse gas emissions are transportation (47%) and commercial and residential buildings (49%). Other sources of emissions include manufacturing, waste, and fugitive emissions (4%).

Overall, Houston's greenhouse gas emissions have decreased since 2007, primarily due to increases in residential energy efficiency and more renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power being built.

However, since 2007 emissions associated with transportation have increased.

HOW DOES HOUSTON COMPARE?

Houston has one of the highest per capita greenhouse gas emissions in the country, largely due to high emissions from transportation. For more information and to see how Houston compares to other cities, visit: https://www.c40.org/other/gpc-dashboard.

HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED?

To implement the community-led goals, strategies, actions, and targets in the CAP, the City of Houston has created six CAP implementation working groups. Sign up here to participate in the Houston Climate Action Plan implementation working groups.

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WHAT IS A CLIMATE ACTION PLAN? On April 22, 2020 - the 50th anniversary of Earth Day - the City launched the science-based, community-driven Houston Climate Action Plan to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, meet the Paris Agreement goal of carbon neutrality by 2050, and lead the global energy transition.

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Innovation being done to tackle rising heat temp. in Nigeria. 

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Innovation being done to tackle rising heat temp. in Nigeria. 

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Here are few examples of innovations being done by Nigeria to combat not only higher temperatures but also flash floods, etc:

1. The NEWMAP Project launched in 2012 which greatly benefited Nigeria. It helped combat and implement a lot of new technology that would help them prevent future disasters. Restores 90 gully sites, and waste management improved to decrease flooding.

2. The Government of Nigeria used green Bonds that raised $30 million in 2017 and $41 million in 2019. This helped decrease greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, and their dependence on fossil fuels.

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Increasing climate variability in Nigeria is causing more intense and untimely rainfall. Adding to land degradation, flash floods, landslides, and gully erosion have worsened across one of the ten most vulnerable countries to climate change impacts. By 2009, an estimated 6,000 gullies were destroying roads, highways, pipelines, and houses across rural and urban Nigeria. Many Nigerians lived in fear and despair due to these extreme weather events.
Tackling Soil Erosion
In Calabar, in Southern Nigeria, Nkese Oyo-Ita, a 75-year-old grandmother, recalls, "Whenever it rained, all the boys would come out with shovels and cutlass to clear the street and create gutters. But that was not enough to solve the problem... We lived in extreme fear of being drowned or washed away with our belongings."

Sudden, unpredictable, and uncontrollable floods erode the soil, and the loss of life and property is a nightmare for many Nigerians. "It destroys crops, farms, lands and houses. We used to have a cocoa plantation, but the erosion swept it away," said Michael Igboria, of Edo State in Southern Nigeria.
Strengthening Nigeria's Defences against Climate Change
In response to the situation, the Nigeria Erosion and Water Shed Management Project (NEWMAP), launched in 2012, adopted innovative integrated approaches based on community participation. The project, completed in 2022, linked poverty alleviation with sustainable ecosystems and better disaster-risk prevention. This holistic approach has improved the lives and safety of more than 12 million people in 23 states in Nigeria.

"When the road and gully had not been done, my husband used to put sands on parts of the road damaged by flood erosion. Now he no longer has to do this. The work done by the project in our community is very good, and residents are very happy because they no longer fear flood and gully erosion," says Roseline Okhale, of the Ibore Community in Edo State.

NEWMAP initiated mechanisms to protect Nigerians from future climate change impacts. The project focused on the restoration of 90 gully sites and the construction of close to 60 catchments to control erosion. Warning systems were implemented, and 103 automated weather and flood early-warning systems provide data for catchment planning, rainfall prediction, and flood monitoring for five River Basin Development Authorities. Stormwater diversion plans were developed to stop gully formation, manage flood risks in urban areas, and adapt to higher rainfall. Solid waste management was improved to decrease flooding during heavy rains.

"For us, NEWMAP means 'gully must go'. Many years ago, you could not stand here. This place was a deadly jungle. But as you can see, we are here, and cars are passing through this place," says evangelist Jeremiah Asuka, of Njang Asang in Cross River State.

To help farmers cope with droughts, climate-smart agricultural innovations to conserve water such as solar-powered drip irrigation and rainwater harvesting have been rolled out.
Enhancing climate finance with green bonds for adaptation and mitigation
To help the Government of Nigeria finance 'green investments' in agriculture, energy, water, and transport, green Bonds were issued - a premiere in Africa. The bonds raised $30 million in 2017 and $41 million in 2019.

The NEWMAP supported initiatives helped decrease greenhouse gas emissions. Afforestation and innovative technologies, such as fuel-efficient cookstoves, solar-powered Primary Health Centres, borehole pumps, meat-dryers, and agro-processing plants, were introduced to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation,and dependence on fossil fuels and fuel wood.

Climate-focused policy research and initiatives include anLPG Framework to reduce dependence on wood and kerosene, feasibility studies of grid-connected solar power plants, and a transportation system running on natural gas, as well as digital Environment Impact Assessments.

In addition, 185,000 local government officials and community members were trained in environmental management to boost their knowledge of land degradation, soil and water conservation, catchment management planning, sustainable farming, and waste management.

NEWMAP's successful demonstrations are bound to inspire others seeking comprehensive, people-centered strategies to tackle soil erosion while preparing for climate change adaptation and GHG mitigation.

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Land, soil and climate change: How Nigeria is enhancing climate resilience to save the future of its people

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More than 12 million people benefited from the $900 million Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Project (NEWMAP) that reinforced the country's ability to fight climate induced erosion, natural hazards, and disasters. 52,000 jobs in the sectors promoting climate adaptation - direct and indirect - were created through the first Sovereign Green Bonds.

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How can climate change be prevented in places like Nigeria, who have little to no resources?

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In Nigeria, they struggle a lot from climate disasters because they are still a developing country. Although there are some ways they can help further prevent these disasters.

1. Implementing Mitigation and adaptation is both necessary for the people to be able to adapt to the changing climate.

2. Water management is really important for Nigeria to be able to combat flash floods and be able to benefit their struggling economy.

3. Climate Resilient Housing will also help Nigeria help their people by providing safer homes. Building homes on stilts, and building barriers to help protect them from water damage.

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First Person: How Nigeria Could Adapt To Climate Change In A Big Way - Ecosystem Marketplace

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Developing nations like Nigeria are feeling the impacts of climate change more severely than developed countries. Because of this, Stanley Ijeoma, an environmental consultant and activist in the climate realm, says Nigeria should aim to implement mitigation and adaptation measures now. Here, Ijeoma offers a set of adaptive actions he claims would give the African nation an edge in the fight against a changing climate.

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I think I want to research global warming which must be addressed to reach SDG Goal #13. I will focus on solving the climate crisis in Africa. I want to research this goal because I believe that it is very important to focus on issues such as climate change because it is an essential part of our life. Especially in places that don't receive enough attention, like Africa.