Climate Facts: Nigeria’s mangrove ecosystem, and importance of forests

The complexities of climate change and its associated jargon can make it difficult to digest. TheCable’s climate quick facts will help to demystify these climate concepts through easy-to-understand and straight-to-the-point explanations.

Here are some to keep at the tip of your fingers:

1. Nigeria has the largest mangrove ecosystem in Africa, according to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). Research by the journal of Africa Research Review also shows that Nigeria has the highest estimates of mangrove coverage with total coverage of 7386km2.

2. Forests serve as carbon sinks. In simple terms, this means forests have the ability to absorb and trap carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

3. In 2020, Nigeria lost 97.8kha (kilo/hectare) of natural forest, which represents 59.5Mt (megatonne) of CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent), according to Global Forest Watch.

4. COP means Conference of the Parties (countries).  It is commemorated by an annual convention that brings together countries under the Paris agreement– an international pact adopted to combat the climate change crisis — to review and access member countries’ climate goals and progress. 

5. COP26 is the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties, and it will be held in Glasgow, UK in November 2021.