By Gabriel Ameh, The Sight News
In a world increasingly affected by climate change, Nigeria faces the challenge of building a resilient economy capable of withstanding the impacts of extreme weather events, however, with the release of its Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP), the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) is taking proactive steps to provide early warnings and foster renewed hope for sustainable development across the nation.
NiMet’s Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) serves as a vital tool for policymakers, businesses, and communities alike, offering insights into expected weather patterns and potential risks.
This was stated at a public presentation of the 2024 Annual Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP), on 20th February in Abuja with the theme: ‘Facilitating a Weather Resilient Economy Through Early Warnings for all to Foster Renewed Hope and Sustainable Development’.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo in his keynote address at the event, stated that the annual Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) document is one of the flagship products of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, providing critical information to help guide decision making across all sectors of the economy, hence reliable Meteorological information is therefore essential for supporting food security, reducing risks, improving livelihood and building resilience against the vagaries of weather.
“The SCP which is a tool of commitment to excellence in climate science emphasizes the agency’s dedication to ensuring the resilience and sustainable development of Nigeria”, he noted.
Speaking further, the Minister said that the World Meteorological Organization has unequivocally affirmed that 2023 stands as the hottest year ever documented, surpassing all previous records by a considerable margin, noting that the global average temperature for the year previously approached a worrisome 1.5 degree Celsius above pre-industrial benchmark.
These alarming realities, according to him, signifies a critical moment, particularly considering the Paris agreement aims to limit long term temperature increase to no more than 1.5 degree Celsius above pre-industrial level.
Continuing, he said, “Our changing climate has had a significant impact on food security globally, hence, the recent COP28 in Dubai,UAE, identified the challenge of food security as one of the greatest threats of climate change to humanity.
“About 159 participating countries adopted a declaration and commitment to make the global food system more sustainable, climate resilient and secure by assisting vulnerable people with sustainable water management and climate action strategies”.
The Minister while giving highlights of the 2024 SCP, said onset of rain is predicted to be delayed in some parts of the country, especially the North central states, noting that a normal onset is likely to occur over the northern states while Borno, Abia and Akwa Ibom states are predicted to have an early onset when compared to their long term averages.
In his goodwill message, the chairman house committee on Agriculture Hon. Bello Kaoje said NIMET’s early warning system plays a crucial role in promoting sustainable development by enhancing climate resilience at both national and local levels.
“By integrating climate information into development planning, Nigeria can build infrastructure that is better adapted to withstand climate-related hazards, thus ensuring the long-term viability of investments and fostering inclusive growth”, he said.
He further stated that through timely and accurate forecasts, NiMet enables farmers to optimize planting schedules, adopt climate-smart agricultural practices, and safeguard food security, adding that, industries reliant on weather-sensitive activities, such as energy, transportation, and tourism, can better prepare for and mitigate the impacts of extreme weather events, thereby minimizing disruptions and economic losses.
For his part, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Dr. Emmanuel C. Meribole stated that the increasing weather vagaries across the globe has made atmospheric prediction very critical to socio-economic development of any nation, while noting that the significance of the NiMet annual SCP over the years have witnessed changing climatic patterns, extreme weather events and attendant disastrous impact to lives, property and livelihoods.
One major high point of the event was the unveiling of the 2024 seasonal climate prediction SCP and other publications; release of the 2024 SCP including the summary for the policy makers, and the release of the 2023 state of the climate report in Nigeria by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (SAN) and other stakeholders.
