Climate Change: More Investment in Research Needed to Tackle Effects, Commissioner Says

By Olamide Francis

The Ogun Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Adeola Odedina, has called on the Federal Government to invest more in research to tackle the negative effects of climate change.

He made this call on Thursday at the Ogun Second Climate Change Convention and Biodiversity Conservation workshop, held at Covenant University, Ota.

Odedina, the keynote speaker, was ably represented by Dr Omotayo Onabanjo, Director of TreeCrop and Rural Services, said, the theme of the workshop was very strategic for human existence, livelihood development, socio-economic development and environmental sustainability.

The workshop theme is “Climate Change and Biodiversity Conservation for Sustainable Development of Ogun State.

Odedina noted that the increase in climate change was caused by the increase in water vapour, incineration of waste, methane, Nitrous Oxide, Chlorofluorocarbons and the sea level.

“This development can increase natural disasters that may cause unpredictable and extreme weather impacts as well increasingly affect crop growth, availability of soil, forest fire, soil erosion, droughts, desertification of food shortage and water, among others,” he said.

According to him, with more investment in research, the scientists will be able to predict accurately the response of biodiversity to such rapidly changing temperatures and assess the potential risks as well as take measures to avoid negative consequences.

Odedina explained that climate change had constituted a threat to several species, with the possibility of extinction, adding that almost a quarter of the species present on land today might disappear by 2050.

The commissioner added that underwater species also faced huge risks due to climate change, especially those that were sensitive to warm temperatures.

He stressed the need for conserving degraded biodiversity in relation to the ecosystem in order to mitigate the numerous effects of climate change.

The Vice-Chancellor of Covenant University, Prof. Abiodun Adebayo, said that the increase in climate change had aroused the urgent global call for more research and actions towards reducing the impacts of climate change on biodiversity.

Adebayo said that the workshop was organised as part of the institution’s efforts to create awareness on the negative impacts of human activities on biodiversity and converse with stakeholders on workable arrangement to biodiversity conservation in the state.

Dr Patience Olatunji-Olayeni, Chairman, Reginal Centre for Expertise, Covenant University, described biodiversity as a major part of the earth’s system which played a vital role in balancing the functions of the earth’s system.

Olatunji-Olayeni noted that biodiversity disruptions, owing to unsustainable human activities, triggered climate change.