African Climate Reporters Hold Conference, Calls For More Reportage On Climate

By Nomsu Baba

NEWSDAILYNIGERIA– The African Climate Reporters in collaboration with Womenhood Foundation of Nigeria, had her annual conference on Saturday, in Kaduna, where they emphasized the need for the media to report more on climate related issues to save the environment.

The conference which had the theme: “Impact of Climate Change on Agricultural Produce” became necessary so as to charge Journalists on the need to key into the need to shift from news stories that cover only politics and war, to issues that affect our climate on daily basis.

Speaking to participants on a paper titled: “Impact of Climate Change,” the guest speaker, a lecturer from Microbiology Department, Kaduna state University (KASU) Dr. Adamu Aliyu noted that climate system are influenced by external mechanism which includes the sun and the activities of humans as well as natural events.

According to him, man is basically responsible for the change noticeable in our climate system, because global warming is brought about by the function greenhouse effect, as man engages in burning of fossils fuel, which generates heat n creates CO2 that leads to increase in the temperature.

” In climate system we have some forcing factors, in the sense that their change on their own will force other factors to change… Temperature brings about different changes in the climate system,

” because when the temperature rises, that of the see will also rise which will make the sea level to increase because the ice in the see will melt, thereby, warming the environment more.” he added

Another speaker in a paper titled “Impact of Climate Change on Agricultural Produce,” and lecturer with Womenhood School of Health, Kaduna, Pharmacist Bryan Ekoja, noted that climate change is real and its adverse effect could be devastating on food safety and agricultural produce if necessary steps are not taken to check and mitigate its effects.

“With changing patterns and increase in extreme weather events and the average temperature, there is emergence of effect of climatic change in our environment which calls for attention in food safety.” he opined.

On his part, the Managing Director, Kaduna state Water Board, Comrade Sanusi Maikudi commended the organizers of the event, considering the fact that the environment which climate is an element of it, is the most important gift of God to mankind,

According to him, mankind depends solemn on it for survival, but the foolishness and irresponsibility of mankind, leads to the damaging of the beautiful work of God. Therefore, there is need for paradigm shift through attitudinal changes, so as to make our environment and mankind friendly.

” The environment has a delicate balance, it has a mechanism for self sustenance, it can survive and cleans any pollution, but the rate at which mankind is generating the pollution is on a scale that is more destructive than the natural scale. So, we all must wake and collaborate positively to fight this fight so as to make our environment a dwelling places for all its dwellers.” he advised.

On his part, the representative of the Presidential Support Committee on Climate Change, who is also the acting Secretary Alhaji Gidado Sarki Ibrahim, said that the government of President Buhari is so concerned about climate change, therefore, he advised the organization to continue pushing for government to come to its aid, because once they present a proposal, the government will definitely support them.

He therefore, called on climate reporters to always report things to the right people at the right time, and to also educate people on climate change, which can as well serve as peace building process in our country, Nigeria.

In his closing remarks, The Director, African Climate Reporters Mallam Nurudeen Bello thanked the participants for availing themselves, and promised that the organization will look into the suggestions and contributions made by the different individuals, so as to make it a force to reckon with both in Nigeria and beyond. Because climate issues are global phenomena which also require global approaches.

This year’s event had several individuals from different spheres of life in attendance; and different views on Climate Change and causes were also given both from christian and Islamic perspectives by Pastor Yohanna Buru and Dr. Yusuf Nadabo respectively.