These stakeholders voiced their concerns on Friday in Port Harcourt during a one-day roundtable discussion on methane reduction in Nigeria, organized by the Environmental Centre for Oil Spills and Gas Flaring (ECOSGF) and the African Initiative for Transparency, Accountability, and Responsible Leadership (AfriTal).
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Brown Ogbeifun, Executive Director of AfriTal, highlighted methane’s significant role in exacerbating the current heatwave in the country.
Ogbeifun emphasized, “Methane is a major contributor to the current heatwave in the country. This is because methane is 80 per cent more potent in trapping heat compared to carbon dioxide. While carbon dioxide can linger in the atmosphere for a century, methane dissipates in about 12 years.”
He further elaborated, “Consequently, the prolonged retention of heat exacerbates temperature fluctuations. It’s estimated that methane alone contributes to about 40 per cent of heat-related issues globally. The pervasive heat experienced by every Nigerian today should raise alarms for everyone.”
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He continued, “It’s crucial for us to advocate and manage waste effectively to reduce short-term methane emissions.”
Nosa Aigbedion, South-South Zonal Director of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), underscored the potential harm of elevated methane levels.
“Methane abatement is a pressing concern for us all. While methane isn’t harmful at low levels, elevated concentrations pose a threat as they can displace oxygen, affecting our respiratory health,” Aigbedion remarked.
“To tackle this issue, we must minimize anthropogenic activities contributing to methane production and ensure responsible waste management practices. Indiscriminate dumping of waste in dumpsites can also lead to natural methane production through organic material decomposition,” Aigbedion concluded.
