The Study of Climate Change

Abstract

This study focuses on establishing whether climate change has been occurring in Nigeria. Four States in the South Western part of the country were considered in the study. Climatic data like the rainfall, raindays, surface air temperature for a period of 32 years were collected and analysed. Also, the yield, the static water level and some other data of the boreholes sunk in the region were collected to examine the effect of climate change on groundwater. The climatic data were collected from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency Lagos, while the hydrogeological data for the boreholes were collected from Rural Water Sanitation Agency (RUWATSAN) in each State. The results show that the percent change in the average cumulative rainfall for Osogbo, Osun State, Ibadan, Oyo State, Ikeja, Lagos State and Abeokuta, Ogun State range from 1.2-4.4, 3.1-15.4, 7-16.3 and (-)14-18, respectively. Also, the percent change in the average surface air temperature for Osogbo, Osun State, Ibadan, Oyo State, Ikeja, Lagos State and Abeokuta, Ogun State range from 0.64-1.61, -0.94-1.27, -1.92-0.97 and -2.74- (-0.27), respectively. The percent change in the rainfall indicates there has been increase in the amount of precipitation over the decades considered. Most of the data for the yield of the boreholes for the period (1980-2012) considered in this study were not available. However, the data available indicates that yield has not changed significantly. The results show there is no conclusive evidence to establish presence of climate change.