Monitoring and Quantification of Carbon Dioxide Emissions and Impact of Sea Surface Temperature on Marine Ecosystems as Climate Change Indicators in the Niger Delta Using Geospatial Technology

Abstract

The Niger Delta marine environment has experienced a series of environmental disasters since the inception of oil and gas exploration, which can be attributed to climate change. Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and sea surface temperature (T) ties associated with burning fossil fuels, such as gas flaring, vehicular traffic, and marine vessel movement along the sea, are increasing. Using data extracted from the NASA Giovanni satellite’s Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), this study mapped the carbon footprint and T along the coastline into the deep sea from 2003 to 2011, using ArcGIS software. The spatial distribution of CO2 and T concentrations determined by the inverse distance weighting (IDW) method reveals variations in the study area. The results show an increase in the quantity of the mean tropospheric CO2 from July 2003 to December 2011, from 374.5129 ppm to 390.7831 ppm annual CO2 emissions, which also reflects a continuous increase. The average Monthly sea surface temperature had a general increasing trend from 25.79 °C in July 2003 to 27.8 °C in December, with the Pearson correlation coefficient between CO2 and T indicating 50% strongly positive, 20% strongly negative, 20% weakly positive,and 10% weakly negative. CO2 levels, like temperature, follow a seasonal cycle, with a decrease during the wet season due to precipitation dissolving and plant uptake during the growing season, and then a rise during the dry season. Carbon capture and storage technologies must be implemented to benefit the marine ecosystem and human well-being.

Assessing the Impact of Gas Flaring and Carbon Dioxide Emissions on Precipitation Patterns in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria Using Geospatial Analysis

“…The Niger Delta region in Nigeria, often known as the "Heart of Nigeria", is famous not only for its abundant biodiversity and oil reserves but also for grappling with significant environmental challenges. Among these challenges, increasing attention has been focused on the detrimental effects of gas flaring and carbon dioxide emissions on both the local ecosystem and the global climate [1] . In response, the application of remote sensing technologies has emerged as a powerful tool for monitoring and examining the impacts of these environmental stressors on the delicate balance of rainfall patterns in the area.…”

“…Conversely, particulate matter's capacity to block sunlight and cool the atmosphere can have the opposite effect, resulting in reduced cloud formation and diminished precipitation. Okpobiri et al [1] utilized geospatial technology to monitor and quantify carbon dioxide emissions and their impact on marine ecosystems in the Niger Delta as indicators of climate change. The authors employed various methods, including satellite imagery, remote sensing, and GIS, to gather and analyze data on these factors.…”