Researcher: A Third of Niger Delta Will Be Lost to Climate Change in the Next 30-50 Years
The oil and gas producing areas, including Ogoniland are haunted by many environmental challenges. In this interview with Udeme Akpan, the Distinguished Prof. Hilary Inyang, a world-renowned researcher, expeditionist and educator in the areas of environmental science and engineering, energy systems and international development, who is also winner of the 2013 Nigerian National Order of Merit (NNOM) in science and technology as well as a Fellow of both the African Academy of Sciences and the Geological Society of London, spoke on a wide range of issues and particularly, the issue of environmental pollution in the Niger Delta region, as well as proffer solutions to them.
What do you consider to be the major environmental issues in Nigeria's oil and gas producing area?
There are very many environmental problems in the oil and gas-producing areas of Nigeria. However, not all the problems can be attributed to oil and gas operations. The most critical problems that derive primarily from oil and gas operations there, are oil spills, including groundwater pollution, surface water pollution and damage to aquatic and shallow marine life; acid rain and air quality degradation due to gas flaring; and biodiversity loss.
Jeremy Weate