NAN-H-30
Climate
By Sumaila Ogbaje
Abuja, Dec. 9, 2016 (NAN) Dr Anthony Anuforom, the Director General, Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has challenged academic community to contribute to the resolution of climate change issues through research and establishment of basic weather observatories.
Anuforom, in a statement signed by Eva Azinge, Head , Public Relations of NiMet on Friday in Abuja said their contributions would help to increase the density of weather data collection in the country.
He pledged the readiness of NiMet to collaborate and provide guidance to ensure that such observatories were set up and operated in compliance with the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), standards.
According to him, considering the cross-cutting and multifaceted nature of climate change issues, greater inter-disciplinary research is recommended as no single organisation, ministry, department or agency can tackle it alone.
He said that the conventional instruments for weather observation were affordable, insisting that they were within the reach of universities and other institutions to establish them.
He said that the deluge of data that could potentially be collected by such observatories would also help in addressing the challenges of climate change in the country.
“Nigeria is highly vulnerable to climate change based on the Maple Soft Climate Change Vulnerability Index which places the country as the third most vulnerable country in the world.
“This is an issue of serious concern that requires decisive and coordinated action.
“To guarantee sustainable success, the development of a National Framework for Application of Climate Services (NFACS) which was conceptualised in 2013 must be resuscitated and completed.
“This is to provide a mechanism or platform that brings together climate information providers such as NiMet, end-users, researchers and other stakeholders to facilitate the production and timely dissemination of science-based information,’’ he said.
Anuforom said that in every part of the country, there were indigenous methods of coping with weather and climate variability like the traditional ‘rain makers’ in the Southeast and other parts.
He urged the academia to carry out further research into those indigenous practices and methods of climate adaptation with a view to establishing and documenting any underpinning science.
Anuforom delivered a lecture titled: “Weather Observation, Modelling and Forecasting for Managing Climate Change Impacts” at the 17th Convocation Ceremony of the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), Enugu on Friday. (NAN)
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Edited by Fatima Sule/Grace Yussuf