Page 44, THIS DAY, Vol. 16, No. 5869 Thursday, May 19, 2011

BusinessWO,RLD development

• A ma/ceshift bridge, a/lermaJ" of a flooding incident at Ikorodu, Lagos PHaro: Kunle Ogunfuyi

Climate Change: Pushing for a Regional Response_ To help tackle the issue of climate change in Africa, the University of norin, K wara State

(Nigeria) and University of Cape Coast (Ghana) jointly hosted an international conference at the University of norin. The two universities, which have a Memorandum of

Understanding (MoU) between them, also sought experts' view on the way forward. Hammed Shittu, who covered the conference, writes on the crucial outcomes

C tirnate change has remained a current major chaUenge in !,he world over but in some continent, especially Africa countries, where it is not taken seriously, the extent of its effects in the socio-economic growth and human development cannot be ignored if the peeple of the African counnies would be developed; thereby making life

, bearable for all and sundry. The challenge in respect of climate change and sustainable develop­

ment is the qualiry of the capacity to monitor the rate, the scale and the aer­ial extent of these various climatic and physical parametric values, so as to be able to determine the probabilities of occurrenceS of any of these extreme events of cnmatic change in the African sub-. region.

A change in climate is attributed directly or indirect1y to human activ­ity that alter.; the composition of the global atmosphere. which is in addi· tion [0 namra] climate variability observed over comparable time pericxls.

This.,change is of serious global concern and this is why for some time now, it has occupied a focal pomt of discourse at local , national and inter­national levels with the sole aim of looking into it and thereby tackling the menace so as to ensure the sustaimibility of human development and growth,

Features of such climate change in this phenomenon are bound to have significant effects on sustainable development. The change may be grad­ual and widespread in their various incidences such as reduced tota1 pre­cipitation or drought, undennining the livelihood and welfare of a large section oftl1e population .

Others include flcxx.i and ocean swges, and even Tsunamis. which may be sudden and concentrated in their catastrophic dimensions, destroying properties and lives and posing serious challenges to the insurance indus­tty and to government 's capacity for disaster management

Conference MoU However, sensing the inherent danger ahead in terms of clirnatechange,

two leading universities in Africa. the University of Dorin (Nigeria) and University of Cape (:oast (Ghana) signed a Memorandum of Under.;tanding (Moll) in 2008 to collaborate on different areas and disci­plines of mutual benefits. One of such is the hosting of a joinrinternation­al conference annually as agreed upon at tllO meeting held in August 2008 at the Univer.;ity of llorin.

The Fm;t Jojnt Intemational Conference was held at the Univer.;ity of Cape Coast, Ghana, between September 27 and October 1,2009 with the theme 'Culture, Science and Sustainable Development' . TIle conference was well attended with 77 paper.; presented in the five syndicate groups.

Also, another giant stride was taken by the two universities to cement their MoU on May 1.2011 when the 2nd Joint Intemational Conference was convened and took place at the Univernity of Dorin, Kwara Slate.

change on policies of government across the globe. He maintained that eli· mate change has affected the change in climatic condition, which resulted in the experience of Tsunami, Hurricane. Katrina among others.

Mabogimje said Africans have for some times been insulated from the problems but there is need for them to take precautions as no science can deny such happenings.

He however said that, countries of Africa that are near the rivers or high seas like Lagos - even Ghana - can risk the problems of flooding as a result of the rise in water level across the globe, and thereby called on lheAfiican countries to be up and doing in developing a strategy that would put an end to the effect of climatic change in the society.

Collaborntion Call In his speech at tlle occasion. the host Vice Olancellor. Prof. Ishaq

Oloyede, said that. it was high time the stakeholder.; collaborate together towards addressing the matter for making life safe and thereby improving overall growth of the regior

Oloyede said that,the conferel ........ ...!-:arne imperative so as to promote mitigation of climate change as a way of making the sub-region conunu· ruties safe in the nearest future

He also noted that the overreaching message posed to us by \be climate change is that we must be ready for change, According to him, "when we change our attitude to the environment vis a vis how we use and consume energy. how we dis(XJse waste, and how we take care of our surrounding our development will be sustainable adding that we will not be enjoying today to destroy our tomorrow",

He said that the pattem of getting ready in climate change discourse is mainly through mitigation and adaptation.

Oloyede explained that while mitigation efforts help to reduce future increase in climate change adaptation efforts frontally confront the unavoidable impacts of the change.

He stressed tha' one does not lose anything by getting ready if the expected outcome does not materialise but one loses everything if conse­quences arise without prior preparation.

The VC conunended the Unive",ity of Cape Coast (Ucq, Ghana, for finding it worthy to coUaborate with Unilorin in this area to support African countries in finding solution to climate change.

He urged all the participants to ensure they make good use of the con­ference in finding solution to their immediate problems on climate change, which could be a great problem in the future .

Views from Ghana

said serves as a point of development for the two universities Vital Outcomes However, a communique was issued after the second joint internation­

al conference held at the University of Dorin wherein it was noted that cli­mate change is a serious global concern, and it is occupying a focal point of discourse locally. nationally and intemationally.

Participants also observed that the causes 'Of climate change are both natural as observed in plate tectonics, solar output, orbital variations, vol­canisms, ocean variability, and man-made from activities that increase C02 levels in the atmosphere e.g. fossil fuel combustion, aerosols ,cement manufacture, land use, ozone depletion, animal agriculture and deforesta­tion

''Climate Olange is adversely affecting human health, agriculture, forestry, water and several other livelihood sources. It is affecting social order, environmental cohesion and economic growth. It is therefore affect­ing sustainable development. which according to Bnmdtland Commission (1987), is the development tlmt "meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs", the forum noted.

To them, countering the effects of climate change is a fight for survival and the following are to be instantly, continuously and vigorously pursued by Ole Unive",iry of Dorin and the Univer.;ity of Cape Coast as a matter of urgency:

Proffered Measures The proffered measures to tackle climate change include evolving and

applying interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approaches to the prob­lems of climate change; participating in global and national actions on mit­igation i.e. implementing policies to reduce Green House Gas (GHG) emissions and enhance their sinks and adaptation i.e., " the adjustment in natural or human systems in response to actual or expected climatic stim­uli or their effects. which moderates harm or exploits beneficial opportu­nities" (The Intergovemmenta1 Panel on Climate Change, 200 I) .

Odle", include becoming part of the REDO. process and providing . standard knowledge in state and trends in national forest reference emis­sions for monitoring; organising roundtable discussions, wruch would involve critical stakeholders, for example. drivers of deforestation and for­est land degradation; developing rigorous research profiles (academic and indigenous) on concems about Oimate Change and collating data for pol­icy-making.

This, the two universities agreed that there is need to address the pro~ lems of climate change in the African sub-region and finding ways to prof·

• • 1er solutions to this menace, as part of efforts to accelernte the socia eco­. nomic growth of the region.

I 1

Also, in his key note address at the conference. Vice Chancellor, Univer.;ity of Cape Coast. Ghana, Prof. Nana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, said that universities across the world and those in Africa are expected to be an integral part of their countries development.

Represenled at the programme by the Pro Vice Chancellor of Univer.;ity of Cape Coast, Prof. DD Kuupole said that African countries have the right to look their universities on the issue that ails to do with development and growth

The forum also called for the influencing of policy maker.; for them to undertake low carbon growth policies; re-orienlating the school curricula to include issues on climate change and sustainable development. Pedagogical approaches tllat would inculcate habits rather than mere cog· nition should be used.

There were calls for educating and enlightening the public on appro­priate attitudes and competencies to deal with climate change, for instance through films, books and Theatre for Development (fID); and sensitising the public to undertake activities to mitigate Climate Change. Examples are tree planting (greening projects). cleaning the envimnment. etc. Climate Checks

Speaking at the opening of the 2nd Joint Intemational Conference on the theme 'Climate Change and Sustainable Development ' held at the main auditorium of the University of Dorin, chairman of the occasion, Prof. Akin Maboguf\ie, said the seminar will provide the platform to make checks on research on the topic of climate change.

He said that, the issue of climate change has brought a lot of practical

He said that, it is on this spirit of African cooperation and coUatx)l'3tion that theMoU was signed by the Unilorin and Univer.;ity of Cape Coast to assist in the socia economic growth of the region.

Agyemang however added that, the partnership that was entered into is not less than three years and it ails yielded fruits noting that, the MoU has 'encouraged academic interaction and professional programmes which he

The forum also called for the encouraging of all national governments and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to fund activities related to Climate Change and Sustainable Development; and the establishment of a joint Centre on Sustainable Development. To the participants, Ulljversities as centres of learning should establish units for research into Oimate Change and Sustainable Development.