Impacts of Climate Change on Residents of Eti-Osa West and East Local Government Areas, Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

Against the background of incessant climate change, this paper examines the causes, impacts, as well as residents' measures of adaptation to climate change in Etiosa West and East Local Government Lagos State. The study utilizes both primary and secondary sources of data. A total of 222 questionnaires were administered to the respondents using random sampling techniques. Data collected were analyzed using both parametric and nonparametric statistical analytical tools. Likhert scale was used to examine the causes, evidence/impact and mitigation against the impacts of climate change. Also, ANOVA was used to determine the variation of climate change impact across wards in the study area while Pearson correlation analysis was utilized to determine the dependability of residents' awareness on their level of education. Climate records of Lagos from NIMET were also utilized to examine change in climatic parameters. The study reveals that the most prominent cause of climate change is deforestation (RAI 3.60), while the major impacts of climate change are high rise in sea level (RAI 3.87), fluctuation in the period of rain fall (3.22) and increase in temperature (RAI 3.22). The result of Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) reveals fluctuation in rainfall, disappearing of water bodies, temperature increase, extinctions of plants and animals and water scarcity have a coefficient of 0.00, 0.015, 0.034, 0.022 and 0.00 respectively. This implies that the stated effects above are significant and vary across the wards in the study area,. The result of correlation analysis reveals negative correlation with r=-0.135, which implies that residents awareness is not determined by their level of education. It also showed positive low correlation between average annual temperature and years when r=0.342 and between annual Rain rainfall and year r=0.22. The study recommends that residents should provide green space around their building premises, maintain adequate set back and relocate from water fronts before overflow of bank. Government should discourage developments towards the coastline and also embark on planting of trees to serve as buffer zones at coast line region.