POLITICS, MYTHS AND FACTS OR CACOPHONY OF CLIMATE CHANGE: AN APPRAISAL OF THE PROLIFERATION OF REFINERIES AND RELATED PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES IN NIGERIA

Abstract

This paper interrogated the politics, facts and myths of the climate change phenomenon using doctrinal and qualitative research methods. The work found that none of the continents of the world has been decisive on outright phase out of fossil fuels, which have been adjudged to be the direct human activity that ruinates the global atmospheric condition with attendant climate change and related public health challenges. The developed and developing countries are in sync with the scientific findings concerning climate variability and its negative impacts on the natural (forest resources, ocean and Agricultural land) and built environments (buildings, roads, bridges etc.) respectively. The small inland states have continued to groan about the impact of climate change on them but to no avail as the much needed climate funds or pledged financial assistance for climate change funds and/or interventions are not redeemed religiously. The work, therefore, recommends, among other things, that the developed countries should embark on extensive low carbon equipment, electric and hydrogen powered vehicles and other appliances production with in-built low carbon. The developed nations should also stop exporting fossil fuel powered electrical equipment and appliances to developing countries. Also, they should  rather increase financial assistance to less-developed and developing countries, to enable these countries to carry out low carbon related production activities in their jurisdictions.