Reports and cases of sustained research works on emerging dimensions of impacts of climate change

Reports and cases of sustained research works on emerging dimensions of impacts of climate change on the socio-economic, political and environmental structures of vulnerable communities of the south-eastern Nigeria, West Africa/other development nations.

1) INCREASING LEVEL OF POVERTY: THE NORTH-SOUTH ENCROACHING DESERT SITUATION:
The South East communities for some years now, have been experiencing serious disturbances from the Northern Nigeria cattle rearing nomads who abandoned the Northern Savannah region as a result of increasing desertification/loss of vegetation. We observed that non reservation or control is maintained in their cattle rearing pattern, as all the known cattle management systems (Nomadic, Transhumane and Mixed) are combined to the detriment of both vulnerable and non-vulnerable peoples communities of the region. Illiterate rearers are continually seen with flocks in both the urban, semi-urban and rural farm/vegetation lands, obstructing both human and traffic movements, useful time periods lost, cattle dungs littered everywhere, efforts and farm crops of peasants farmers become wastes. The soils around are seriously been trampled into loosed marshes which give ways to both low and high grade gully erosion sites, which advances further to log waters, floods and cut access roads and inhabited buildings, the poor vulnerable masses remain helpless as the authorities rarely respond to distress calls and situations. There have been several cases of refugee squatters as outcome of these; there exist incessant cases of clashes and loss of lives and property amongst the rearing and the host communities, whose means of livelihood are continually being affected, negatively. Vulnerability to disease infections becomes other of the day as tse-tse flies which follow the cattle around now domesticate much in the region, not as had been noted before.

The above photo shows just few vulnerable women and children facing hunger and malnutrition, lacking normal shelter, safe water, etc resulting from heavy rain storm/wind and erosion attacks.

2) IMPACT ON BUILDING/CIVIL STRUCTURES: ENVIRONMENT AND SAFETY HAZARDS:
Our field reports also noted serious cases of impacts of climate change, not yet noticed or solved, where top roof fencing and surfaces of buildings meant for human habitations are duly exposed to harsh and intense tropical rains and sun radiation; more than 60 % of buildings observed had cracks as compared with those with sheltered surfaces, we went further to link this to some of the cases of collapsed buildings and loss of lives in some of our urban centres in the past.

ANALYTICAL STATEMENT:
Climate change/global warming impact adversely on civil stationed objects creating situations of expansions, contraction, cracks and seepages, and environmental-health hazards; no efforts by the authorities and the professional civil/architectural communities to render necessary Environmental Impact Assesment-EIA advice or other lower assistance, etc to clients or otherwise; non-conformity/land use planning of our rural building/housing are avenues for intensified impacts of climate change on our communities; there exist an acute shortage of kkilled environmentalists/metreologists and other related personnel to handle our ever expanding development/environmental needs.

These are some of the disturbing findings and problems that are currently confronting us in the region, that we needed to build our supports to enable us to proffer solutions.

Sincerely,
For: Life-Source Initiative (LISI)
George Udoha, Executive Manager
Programmes & Organisational Development