Climate Change and Insecurity: An Examination of Gombe State’s Predicament in the Northeastern Nigeria
Publisher: Global Changes and Natural Disaster Management: Geo-information Technologies
Author(s): U. A. Abubakar and A. Ahmed
Date: 2017
Topics: Climate Change, Livelihoods, Renewable Resources
Countries: Nigeria
Insecurity as a result of climate change has become a global phenomenon, which imposes a major challenge to human environments especially in the twenty-first century. This phenomenon prompted scholars to conduct scientific investigations to find out solutions to the problems. The overwhelming challenges related to socioeconomic activities, migration, and agricultural productions eventually resulted in inadequate employment opportunities and limited means of the lively hood to the teaming population. Accordingly, it intensifies social vices which culminate into general insecurity causing loss of lives and valuable properties. This study investigated climate change pertaining insecurity in Gombe state within North East. Three research questions guide the study, and one null hypothesis was tested at 0.05 level of significance. The descriptive research design of survey type was employed. The research questions raised were answered using mean and standard deviation, while research hypothesis rose was verified using t-test with the aid of SPSS. A validated instrument with a reliability coefficient of 0.84 guided the collection of data. The study observed that climate change is a major factor responsible for insecurity in Gombe state within the region which results in desertification, a decrease in water bodies, and loss of soil fertility, extinction of flora and fauna, and an increase of temperature. The study recommended that Nation states, civil society organizations, and individuals should respect international laws, legislations, treaties, policies, programs, and resolutions regarding our environments, and finally individuals should also endeavor to imbibe the culture of a friendly environment.