Climate change threatening Nigeria’s human existence says Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has raised the alarm that climate change is threatening the totality of human existence in Nigeria.
Speaking in Paris yesterday while presenting Nigeria’s position at the opening of the United Nations Climate Change Conference being attended by 150 world leaders, he said climate change was also threatening the sustainable development of Nigeria’s social and economic activities.
Buhari, who emphasised that climate change posed a threat to food security in Nigeria, said the world leaders had a historic chance to save the planet by coming up with binding resolutions for sustainable development.
According to him, like many countries, Nigeria continues to witness the adverse effects of climate change in all its ramifications.
“Presently, we are reeling under the challenges of climate change as the frequency and intensity of extreme events like floods and drought are on the increase,” he said.
He said, at the sub-regional level, there was  the challenge of the drying up of the Lake Chad Basin,   resulting in the total wipe out of livelihoods of many communities surrounding the trans-boundary natural resources.
The president said regrettably, the world was leaving behind millions of people who depended  on the Lake for their survival.
He noted that Nigerian government welcomed the Lake Chad Development and Climate Resilience Plan, and the Lake Chad Basin Commission and international partners for designing this climate-based Plan.
“In all, the experience of countries sharing the Lake Chad further illustrates the mutual challenge we face today and which must be collectively addressed without further delay,” Buhari said.
He described existing climate change treaties, protocols and conventions as inadequate, restating  Nigeria’s position that  for the potential of Paris Agreement on Climate Change to be meaningful, it must draw extensively on the principles of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.