IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jscscx/v11y2022i11p525-d974436.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Air Pollution, Climate Change and Ecosystem Health in the Niger Delta

Author

Listed:
  • Adaku Jane Echendu

    (School of Social Sciences, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia)

  • Henry Favour Okafor

    (Department of Geology, Federal University of Technology, Owerri 460114, Nigeria)

  • Olayinka Iyiola

    (Department of Hydro Science and Engineering, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany)

Abstract

There are interactions and feedbacks between air pollution as a driver of environmental change, climate change, and overall ecosystem health. Air pollution is a major environmental problem, particularly in developing countries where regulations may be lax. This paper explores the nexus between air pollution, climate change and overall ecosystem health in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. It brings novelty by exploring these issues with an environmental justice lens. This is particularly pertinent due to the ecological sensitiveness of the region and the high dependence of the indigenes on the land and water. The region’s ecosystem is becoming more and more threatened as pollution increases and the climate changes further. Nigeria’s position as the largest oil producer in Africa and the sixth largest in the world is due to the oil and gas reserves of its Niger Delta region. The irony becomes that while the region is the mainstay of the Nigerian economy or is a source of national ‘good’, they have received in return only environmental ‘bads’. The many levels of deprivation experienced by the indigenes of the Niger Delta is a classic case of environmental injustice where the region disproportionately bears a much higher burden of air, land, and water pollution in comparison to other parts of the country. Gas flaring, fossil fuel burning, artisanal refining of crude, and transportation are found to be the main sources of air pollution in the locality. Mitigating air pollution and the attendant impacts requires urgent action and concerted effort at the individual, local and national levels. This paper provides recommendations in this regard.

Suggested Citation

  • Adaku Jane Echendu & Henry Favour Okafor & Olayinka Iyiola, 2022. "Air Pollution, Climate Change and Ecosystem Health in the Niger Delta," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-17, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:11:y:2022:i:11:p:525-:d:974436
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/11/11/525/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/11/11/525/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Okoro, Emmanuel E. & Adeleye, Bosede N. & Okoye, Lawrence U. & Maxwell, Omeje, 2021. "Gas flaring, ineffective utilization of energy resource and associated economic impact in Nigeria: Evidence from ARDL and Bayer-Hanck cointegration techniques," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    2. Marcus O. Edino & Godwin N. Nsofor & Leonard S. Bombom, 2010. "Perceptions and attitudes towards gas flaring in the Niger Delta, Nigeria," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 30(1), pages 67-75, March.
    3. Muhammad Usman & Zhiqiang Ma & Muhammad Wasif Zafar & Abdul Haseeb & Rana Umair Ashraf, 2019. "Are Air Pollution, Economic and Non-Economic Factors Associated with Per Capita Health Expenditures? Evidence from Emerging Economies," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(11), pages 1-22, June.
    4. Zekeri Momoh & Joseph A Anuga & Anagba Joseph Obidi, 2018. "Implications of Poor Electricity Supply on Nigeria’s National Development," Humanities and Social Sciences Letters, Conscientia Beam, vol. 6(2), pages 31-40.
    5. Obianuju B. Ozoh & Tochi J. Okwor & Olorunfemi Adetona & Ayesha O. Akinkugbe & Casmir E. Amadi & Christopher Esezobor & Olufunke O. Adeyeye & Oluwafemi Ojo & Vivian N. Nwude & Kevin Mortimer, 2018. "Cooking Fuels in Lagos, Nigeria: Factors Associated with Household Choice of Kerosene or Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-13, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Shari, Babajide Epe & Dioha, Michael O. & Abraham-Dukuma, Magnus C. & Sobanke, Victor O. & Emodi, Nnaemeka V., 2022. "Clean cooking energy transition in Nigeria: Policy implications for Developing countries," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 44(2), pages 319-343.
    2. Gunnar W. Schade, 2021. "Standardized Reporting Needed to Improve Accuracy of Flaring Data," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-8, October.
    3. Le Zhang & Qinyi Gu & Chen Li & Yi Huang, 2022. "Characteristics and Spatial–Temporal Differences of Urban “Production, Living and Ecological” Environmental Quality in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-22, November.
    4. Fay?al Chiad & Smail Moumeni & Amine Aoussi, 2022. "The joint effect of financial development and human capital on the ecological footprint: The Algerian case," ECONOMICS AND POLICY OF ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2022(1), pages 69-93.
    5. Madjid Abbaspour & Sanaz Toutounchian & Tooraj Dana & Zahra Abedi & Solmaz Toutounchian, 2018. "Environmental Parametric Cost Model in Oil and Gas EPC Contracts," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-13, January.
    6. Boqiang Lin & Kai Wei, 2022. "Does Use of Solid Cooking Fuels Increase Family Medical Expenses in China?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-17, January.
    7. Oyeniran, Ishola Wasiu & Isola, Wakeel Atanda, 2023. "Patterns and determinants of household cooking fuel choice in Nigeria," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 278(PA).
    8. Constantinos Vassiliades & Ogheneruona Endurance Diemuodeke & Eric Boachie Yiadom & Ravita D. Prasad & Wassim Dbouk, 2022. "Policy Pathways for Mapping Clean Energy Access for Cooking in the Global South—A Case for Rural Communities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-24, October.
    9. Zhongye Sun & Xin Zhang & Yifei Gao, 2023. "The Impact of Financial Development on Renewable Energy Consumption: A Multidimensional Analysis Based on Global Panel Data," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-20, February.
    10. Okoye, Lawrence Uchenna & Adeleye, Bosede Ngozi & Okoro, Emmanuel E. & Okoh, Johnson I. & Ezu, Gideon K. & Anyanwu, Felicia A., 2022. "Effect of gas flaring, oil rent and fossil fuel on economic performance: The case of Nigeria," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    11. Linhong Chen & Yue Zhuo & Zhiming Xu & Xiaocang Xu & Xin Gao, 2019. "Is Carbon Dioxide (CO 2 ) Emission an Important Factor Affecting Healthcare Expenditure? Evidence from China, 2005–2016," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(20), pages 1-14, October.
    12. Daniel Badulescu & Ramona Simut & Alina Badulescu & Andrei-Vlad Badulescu, 2019. "The Relative Effects of Economic Growth, Environmental Pollution and Non-Communicable Diseases on Health Expenditures in European Union Countries," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-19, December.
    13. Ha T. T. Pham & An Thinh Nguyen & Thuong T. H. Nguyen & Luc Hens, 2020. "Stakeholder Delphi-perception analysis on impacts and responses of acid rain on agricultural ecosystems in the Vietnamese upland," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 22(5), pages 4467-4493, June.
    14. Pragyan Monalisa Sahoo & Himanshu Sekhar Rout & Mihajlo Jakovljevic, 2023. "Dynamics of Health Financing among the BRICS: A Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-21, August.
    15. Wenxuan Xu & Yongzhong Tian & Yongxue Liu & Bingxue Zhao & Yongchao Liu & Xueqian Zhang, 2019. "Understanding the Spatial-Temporal Patterns and Influential Factors on Air Quality Index: The Case of North China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-23, August.
    16. Xinpeng Xing & Jianhua Wang & Tiansen Liu & He Liu & Yue Zhu, 2019. "How Energy Consumption and Pollutant Emissions Affect the Disparity of Public Health in Countries with High Fossil Energy Consumption," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-18, November.
    17. Caroline Orset, 2024. "Air, land, and water pollutants and public health expenditures: Empirical data from selected EU countries in the transport sector [Polluants atmosphériques, terrestres et aquatiques et dépenses de ," Post-Print hal-04521160, HAL.
    18. Alimi,Omoniyi Babatunde & Gibson,John, 2022. "The Impact of Gas Flaring on Child Health in Nigeria," Policy Research Working Paper Series 10153, The World Bank.
    19. Samia Nasreen & Aviral Kumar Tiwari & Mehr‐un Nisa & Faryal Ishtiaq, 2024. "Evaluating the Role of GDP Per Capita, Air Pollution and Non‐Economic Factors in Determining Health Expenditure: Evidence from Asian Region Using Instrumental Variables Techniques," Economic Papers, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 43(1), pages 63-90, March.
    20. Eucharia Oluchi Nwaichi & Justice Obinna Osuoha, 2022. "Has the National policy on environmental pollution control in Nigeria been neglected in the Niger Delta region? An update," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(11), pages 12494-12517, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:11:y:2022:i:11:p:525-:d:974436. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.