WHAT DOES CLIMATE CHANGE MEAN TO YOU?

Climate science is complex….

And if you are like me, then data analysis or just looking at literature with a lot of numbers everyday gets tedious and boring.

Or if you have trust issues with the government,

then you may not be particularly moved when presented with scientific facts about climate change.

On the other hand, if you live in Nigeria, then chances are ‘the tendency of having a high degree of apathy towards climate change would be strong.’ For example, climate change would mean nothing to people who have not had direct access to portable water in many years, people who do not have access to good roads and other basic amenities, needless to mention other problems in form of poverty, poor healthcare services, acute insecurity, lack of electricity, rising prices, illiteracy, and unemployment. Basically, people are too preoccupied with trying to survive and navigate precarious situations than to even consider paying attention to climate change.

The bad news is that, climate change will continue to occur regardless of whether people are faced with social problems or not; as our daily actions as humans affect the environment, which consequently lead to climate change.

How are you encountering climate change personally?

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Climate change is that we are experiencing hotter than usual hot seasons or summers, and extremely cold seasons or winters, longer and weird harmattans…..

Essentially….. irregular weather patterns.

Climate change is that there isn’t enough rainfall for farmers and their crops, or that other farmers’ crops have been washed off by floods.

It is flooding and landslides destroying homes and communities (Adamawa, Taraba, Plateau, Benue, Abuja, Kogi, Lagos prevalently)

Climate change is that you and I are spending more money than before on energy to cool or heat up (if you live in Jos) our homes and spaces for self-comfort. It is that air is becoming less healthy to breathe in some states. Water is becoming scarcer in some regions in the country, deserts are expanding thereby reducing land for growing food.

So regardless if you stand with the apathetic, or ill-informed or totally ignorant group, the physical impact of climate change or climate crisis is difficult to ignore.

Do you think we should wait until we are healed of all our troubles before we act? Or can we do something while we wait?

What can you and I do while we wait?

See you in two weeks for the good news.

Climate-Thursday.