Often times, we are confronted with the phrase ‘climate change’, especially when it has to do with global warming driven by human-induced emissions of greenhouse gases and the resulting large-scale shifts in weather patterns. Since the mid-20th century, there have been periods of climatic change on a global scale, following humans’ unprecedented impact on Earth’s climate system.
Speaking on the Topic: ‘Climate Change Crisis,’ in a two-day training programme organised by Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre on the Theme: ‘Gender and Climate Change,’ the Head, Environment and Conservation Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development (CEHRD), Dr Kabari Sam, described global warming as a gradual increase in the overall temperature of the earth’s atmosphere, generally attributed to greenhouse effect caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide, CFCs, nitrate oxide and other pollutants.
A growing number of communities—both coastal and inland—are finding themselves underwater. Extreme weather, sea level rise, and other climate change impacts are increasingly to blame. As global warming continues to exacerbate sea level rise and extreme weather, our nation’s flood plains keep growing by certain percentage. Unfortunately, there’s no end in view to this global menace in as much as human activities do not change to positively improve on the environment.
Regrettably, with this ocassional change in weather condition, even when it is said to be a global problem, its impact is localized. Experts hold that it impacts more negatively on women than the men as over 80 percent of women are said to be displaced by its effect. Their opinion, it is gathered, stems from the fact that 90 percent of works carried out by women, while at home revolves around Green House Gases.
Dr Sam described Green House Gases as those from vegetable crops that is preferred and used in cooking by every household as the consumption of these vegetables is good to health, noting that the careless act of disposing these vegetable wastes in the kitchen for a longer period as well as around the environment sends a dangerous health challenge to the human system.
He frowned at situations where these wastes are disposed in waste bins and kept in the kitchen or by the side of the door where fresh air should pass through to the house for over days, weeks and even months without knowing the hazardous effect that the dustbin is doing to the health.
He explained that the waste kept in the kitchen or at the entrance to the house or within the environment for so long does not allow fresh air to circulate, rather the fresh air is trapped by greenhouse gases and is being consumed on daily bases without knowing.
He warned those in the habit of dumping waste in their kitchens, environment, where smoke from these wastes could easily be inhaled, to desist from such habit, stressing that the white smoke seen coming out from vegetable waste is called methane which is the second of the greenhouse gases.
“High level of methane is capable of reducing the amount of oxygen breathed from the air, thereby resulting to mood changes, slurred speech, memory loss, vision problems, headache, vomiting and facial flushing.
“In most severe cases, there may be changes in breathing and heart rate, numbness, balance problems and unconsciousness such that if not properly managed results in deaths,” he added.
Dr Sam stated that climate change cannot be stopped by anyone since everyone eats vegetables, adding that the more vegetable consumption the more increase in Greenhouse gases. He revealed that the first most dangerous pollutant of the Greenhouse gases is Carbon dioxide
Chief Executive Director, Kebetkache, Women Dev And Resource Centre, Emem Okon said greenhouse gases make it possible to sustain the temperature of the earth. She explained that as more carbon dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere, the more it traps the heat. Thus, as the atmosphere becomes warmer, the more gases produced change the climate.
Aside that, there is also the belief that women are the majority of the world’s poor and are more often responsible for household food production, family health and nutrition, and management of natural resources-sector that are particularly sensitive to climate change. All these thus, predispose them to the high risk of the impact of climate change.
They also alluded that in situations of poverty, other vulnerable groups, such as children, farmers, persons with disability, elderly persons and youths also face high risks and great burdens from the impacts of climate change
Hence climate change experts have warned that there was need for stakeholders to look at the root causes like the gas flaring, waste recycling plant should be provided so that it can be converted into other renewable energy substances that can be safe and useful to all.
Disease-causing insects that were not originally in Africa are responsible for the more and more heslth challenging diseases experienced in the country today, saying: “1990 was the hottest year and 2030 will be another hottest year that is why we are also trying to discourage bush burning,”
He listed some of the activities that could be done in solving global warming as follows: Tree planting, switch to green power, have energy audit, travel by car, use energy efficient light bulbs and have no more than two children.
In a lecture titled: “Overview Of The National Action Plan On Gender And Climate Change In Nigeria”, Emem Okon stated that the women factor was not there as such, there was need for women to mainstream themselves into the process.
“We are looking at holistic inclusion of all women, both the disability and the vulnerable population following the Maputo Protocol on the rights of Women In Africa. Most of these documents are made available, but governments keep signing and demanding, but implementation is a huge challenge.”
She added that if government took women seriously, then there was need for them to put these laws that would better the lives of women into their agenda.
Okon charged women groups on the need to advocate on areas at local, state and federal Government levels, where capacity exists on issues of gender and climate change, adding that if there is no capacity and awareness, then there will be no way government at these levels will bring up these issues.
She stressed that their limited participation in decision-making processes and labour markets deepen inequalities and often prevent them from fully contributing to climate-relatedplanning, policy-making, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
“As Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), we can conduct baseline study on Agriculture infrastructure needs of men and women, that way we help our policy makers to include the issues of women in the budget during planning and decision time.”
Speaking on the topic: Role Of Women And Gender In Green And Climate Finance, a member, Centre for 21st Century Issues, Ms Titilope Akosa, described the topic in two terms; position and money. She said, women were marginalised in a well structured system, as a result, they are unable to position themselves to generate fund for themselves that would enable them live happily and peacefully in the well-structured system.
According to her, “Women are interested in what makes them live happily and peacefully on earth. It is not about business and economy, but its about ourselves. We, women are saying no to chemicals that threaten our health and this is the reason why women think differently.”
Akosa hinted that there were institutions established to deliver climate finance saddled with the responsibility of climate justice by paying adaptation fee to those people affected by climate change.
“Eco-system says those who pollute the air, water and the environment must pay and also help the people to adapt to the climate change. There are many of these institutions, namely, Adaptation Fund, Strategic Climate Fund, SDC Fund, among others.”
She added that it was time for women to turn their vulnerability to opportunity and profitability so as to enable women to make money so they are able to put food on their tables, adding that anything that will stand as a barrier in achieving this must be removed from their way, such as the National Determined Contribution, which has become a barrier to climate justice.
Akosa emphasised that there were financial products as well as engagements that women could fix themselves to raise money economically, and therefore charged women to try to avoid unpaid care work, which she defined as those work that women do, but the GDP does not reflect it, remarking that by so doing will totally destroy the SDC.
In their reactions, a renowned journalist and a writer, Chief Constance Meju, stated that climate change had negatively contributed to having less food, less yield, less energy and that translated to poverty, thereby making one to live below $1 level.
Meju added that the negative impact was that there would be high increase in crime, stressing that change can only happen when few people can start to take positive steps in ensuring there was a positive change.
Also reacting, Blessing Horsfall stated that the climate change was very bad in the Town axis of Port Harcourt, especially within the New Road areas due to the high increase in Kpofire, also known as bunkery business.
Horsefall explained that climate change had brought about serious reduction in farm produce, adding that it was time for everyone to take proactive steps to stop kpofire business before it kill every one.

By: Sylvia ThankGod-Amadi & Susan Serekara-Nwikhana