CLIMATE CHANGE AND LIVELIHOOD SECURITY: SOME CHALLENGES AND OPTIONS

Abstract

The environment plays a very important role in providing life sustaining properties to human, animal and plant lives. Man’s activities such as agriculture, resource explorations, technological improvement and advancement etc. have accelerated continuous and rapid degradation of the environment causing environmental changes such as climate change, pollution, deforestation etc. The United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change,(UNFCCC,2005) define climate change as ‘A change of climate, which is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity, that alters the composition of the global atmosphere, and in addition to natural climate variability, observed over comparable period of time.’ The impact is both short term (frequent and more intense extreme weather conditions) and long term (changing temperatures and precipitation). This is a descriptive research and some findings shows that climate change has effects on food supply and food security and agricultural income. The sustainable livelihood assets (human, social, natural, physical and economic assets) of families are threatened by the effect of climate change. This paper seeks to highlight the impact of climate change on livelihoods of vulnerable communities in Nigeria and also suggest opportunities for mitigating and adapting to climate changes. Keywords: Climate change, human, livelihood, environment and security