Group seeks multidisciplinary approach to reduce climate change impacts

Nigerian Academy of Engineering (NAEng) has reiterated the need to deploy a multidisciplinary approach to reduce the impact of climate change on development, mitigation and adaptation measures.

An independent energy consultant, Dr. Funmi Coker, led the call at a forum on ‘climate change, COP26 and the Nigerian engineer’ at a webinar organised by the NAEng in Lagos.

He said engineers had to identify how, where and when best to deploy available technological solutions, balancing technological, economic and social factors as well as develop and implement engineering design standards and practices for changes in climate.

“Engineers must build capacity and ensure technology transfer, work with government and international organisations on development of green engineering skills, work with academic institutions on climate change in curriculum and work with universities and research institutions on climate change research and development,” he said.

The chairman, Engineering and Environment Management Services ltd, Prof. Samuel Adefila, said climate change challenges could only be managed through trans-disciplinary application of political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental (PESTLE) as a framework to ensure the sustainability of human civilisation on earth.

The chairman, Environment and climate change committee of NAEng, Prof. Salihu Mustafa, said actions to address the root causes of climate were embarking on nature-based solutions, and reducing methane leakages from manufacturing industries.

Others, he said, were replacing GHG emitting fuels like coal, oil, natural gas with renewable energies, retrofitting old buildings and new structures to make them energy efficient, using more electric and solar powered vehicles and other measures.

The minister of state for the environment, Barr Sharon Ikeazor, commended efforts of the academy for organising such a forum, adding that the government would engage them in his policy formulation aimed at mitigating climate change.

On his part, the chairman of NAEng, Alex Ogedengbe, gave the assurance that the academy would continue to educate and engage with stakeholders on ways to limit the impacts of climate change.