Daily Trust - the online edition

Unless Nigerians derive climate friendly mechanisms like turning-off of electric bulbs when not in use, buying a fuel-efficient vehicle, getting rid of old refrigerators as some solutions to global warming, the country will continuously get warmed, Minister of Environment, Housing and Urban Development, has warned.

Mrs Halima Tayo Alao, who dropped this hint in Abuja on Tuesday while flagging-off an exercise tagged ‘Abuja Climate Change City Storm’, said climate change is already affecting and will continue to affect the whole world’s land, water and air, not only environmentally, but also the health, jobs and economy of the people living on the planet.

According to her,  in the past, natural process could handle the amount of greenhouse gases generated and the system remained in balance but in recent decades, human activities, through increased use of fossil fuels and cutting down of forests has been overloading the natural process.

She said: "According to the World Bank estimates, about 85% of deforestation in Nigeria is caused by illegal felling of trees for fuel wood which leaves fewer trees to absorb and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

The balance of gases in the atmosphere has changed significantly and this result in more heat being trapped in the atmosphere more than the heat trapped, the warmer the earth becomes and the greater climates across the globe will".

The minister mentioned ten tips as first steps to reduce global warming. According to her, "When we plant more trees, use organic manure by farmers, buy recycled products instead of brand new, we can save the world from warming".

Mrs Alao said the rally was staged as a significant catalyst and solution for mobilising Nigerians against the looming negative consequences of climate change.