Abstract

This study examined the impact of climate change on oil-producing communities in Ahoada West, located in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region. It explored the causes of climate change in Ahoada West and assessed the response of multinational oil and gas companies to the resulting issues. A total of 260 participants were randomly chosen for the study. The Impacts of Climate Change on Oil Producing Communities in Ahoada West Structured Questionnaire (ICCOPCAWSQ) was given to all participants and successfully collected without any invalid responses. The data was analyzed using simple percentages. The findings showed that burning fossil fuels, industrial activities by oil and gas companies (like exploration and extraction), agricultural practices (such as livestock farming and rice growing), and emissions from transportation (including cars and planes) all significantly contribute to climate change. Additionally, burning bushes, clothes, and papers, as well as methane emissions from natural sources like wetlands and termites, were also identified as contributing factors. The study concluded that human activities are the main cause of increased atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. Based on these results, it was recommended that oil and gas companies should stop gas flaring to reduce environmental damage. Instead, the flared gas should be converted into cooking gas for household use.

Keywords: Climate Change, long-term shifts, Chemistry Students’ Attitude, and climatic conditions

Impact Statement

Climate change, seen as a gradual alteration of earth’s climate pattern over a long period of time, has been implicated in most environmental degradation. Causes are both natural and anthropogenic. Effects of Climate change has so negatively imparted on the people of the affected areas. People are displaced from their homes, buildings and agricultural plants submerged in water, while some persons have lost their lives. Reduction in emission of greenhouse gases is germane in mitigating Climate change. Most importantly, with collective action, we can work towards a sustainable future, which can minimize the negative impacts of climatic change.

About Author/s

ZUDONU, Onisoman Chuks obtained his PhD in Science Education (Chemistry Education) and M.Ed. in Science Education (Chemistry Education) all from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 2018 and 2013 respectively, a B.Ed. in Chemistry Education and an NCE in Chemistry/Mathematics both from former Rivers State College of Education, Rumuolumeni, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, an affiliate of University of Ibadan in 1996 and 1993 respectively. His research areas or interests are in Science Education & Chemistry Education Pedagogy.

Ndukwu Didacus Emeka obtained his B.Sc. in Biochemistry from University of Benin, T.T.C from Federal College of Education (Technical) Omoku, an M.Ed. in Educational Planning and Administration, University of Calabar, an M.Sc. in Environmental Chemistry from Federal University of Technology Owerri and currently a Ph.D. student of Environmental Chemistry at the Federal University of Technology Owerri. His research interest focuses on use of effective methods of teaching Chemistry concepts as well as use of biomass precursors in water remediation of heavy metals.

Iroro, Patricia E obtained her B.Sc. Ed in Chemistry in FCE(T) Omoku, affiliate of University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 2021, and had her West African School Certificate (WASC) in 2016.

Cite this Article

APA (7th ed.): Zudonu, O. C., Ndukwu, D. E., & Iroro, P. E. (2024). Assessment of Impacts of Climate Change on Oil Producing Communities in Ahoada West. Edumania-An International Multidisciplinary Journal, 2(3), 195–207. https://doi.org/10.59231/edumania/9067

Chicago (17th ed.): Zudonu, Onisoman Chuks, Didacus Emeka Ndukwu, and Patricia E. Iroro. “Assessment of Impacts of Climate Change on Oil Producing Communities in Ahoada West.” Edumania-An International Multidisciplinary Journal 2, no. 3 (2024): 195–207. https://doi.org/10.59231/edumania/9067.

MLA (9th ed.): Zudonu, Onisoman Chuks, et al. “Assessment of Impacts of Climate Change on Oil Producing Communities in Ahoada West.” Edumania-An International Multidisciplinary Journal, vol. 2, no. 3, 2024, pp. 195–207. https://doi.org/10.59231/edumania/9067.

Statements & Declarations

Peer Review: The scholarly merit and contribution of this research on climate change impacts in oil-producing communities have been confirmed through a rigorous and independent peer-review process conducted by experts in the relevant disciplines.

Review Type: This article underwent a double-blind peer review, a process in which the identities of the authors (Onisoman Chuks Zudonu, Didacus Emeka Ndukwu, and Patricia E. Iroro) and the reviewers were mutually concealed. The review was conducted by subject experts in climate science, environmental impact assessment, environmental sociology, and community development.

Competing Interests: The authors, Onisoman Chuks Zudonu, Didacus Emeka Ndukwu, and Patricia E. Iroro, jointly and individually declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Data Availability: The datasets generated and analyzed during the current study, including community survey responses and environmental observations, are available from the corresponding author, O.C. Zudonu, upon reasonable request. The data are not publicly available due to privacy and confidentiality agreements with the participating communities in Ahoada West, Rivers State, Nigeria.

Funding: This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. The work was completed using the authors’ institutional resources at Federal College of Education (Technical) Omoku, Rivers State, affiliated to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and personal scholarly efforts.

License: This article is an open-access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (CC BY-NC-ND) 4.0 International License. This license permits non-commercial reuse, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited and is not altered, transformed, or built upon in any way.

Ethical Approval: All procedures performed in this study involving human participants (community members in oil-producing areas) were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional research committee. Ethical approval for this research was granted by the Institutional Review Board of Federal College of Education (Technical) Omoku, Rivers State, Nigeria, where all authors are affiliated. Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants and community leaders included in the study, and their anonymity, confidentiality, and cultural sensitivities have been strictly maintained throughout the research process.

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