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A climatologist, Prof. Emmanuel Oladipo, has warned that the hike in the prices of gas and kerosene portends danger to the environment and human life.
He gave the warning on Wednesday in Lagos in an interview with news.
He said that natural disasters experienced globally necessitated pragmatic approach from both the government and citizens to protect the environment by paying attention to tree conservation.
Oladipo, a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Senior Consultant, said that increase in the prices of these products would aggravate deforestation and increase greenhouse gas emissions into the environment.
He said: “deforestation is when forest is being cut down on a massive scale without making proportionate effort at replanting.
“Trees play critical role in supporting environmental equilibrium and human comfort because it absorbs carbon dioxide from the air, which is the main greenhouse gas.
“Trees are also strategic in combating global warming, flood, check erosion and stem the tide of windstorm by serving as wind breakers in coastal areas.
“By the time we destroy this important shield for cooking, then we are exposing ourselves to grave danger in the country.”
According to Oladipo, deforestation will hinder Nigeria’s commitment to reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions unconditionally by 20 per cent and conditionally by 45 per cent in line with its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
He said that Nigeria subscribed to NDCs when it signed the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
He said that Nigeria had the highest rate of deforestation in the world having lost more than half of its primary forests.
The climatologist urged the federal government to evolve pricing mechanism that would make cooking gas and kerosene affordable and available in the country.
“It is quite unfortunate that in-spite the vast deposit of natural gas and crude oil in the country, many Nigerians cannot afford the price of cooking gas and kerosene.
“If the government creates an approach that supplements the cost of these products, those in the rural areas will embrace the use of cooking gas.
“It will also discourage all those that cut trees for charcoal production in Oyo North and Kaduna to desist from the practice,” he said.
The price of cooking gas has recently increased from N3, 500 to N4, 500 for 12.5kg gas cylinder while a litre of kerosene jumped to N300 as against N150 of N130 previously.
The situation had forced many Nigerians to resort to using firewood and charcoal for cooking.
NAN