Livelihoods and environmental challenges in coastal communities of Nigeria
Livelihoods and environmental challenges in coastal communities of Nigeria
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DOI：
10.4314/ajfand.v11i7
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发表时间：
2011-12
影响因子：
--
通讯作者：
A. Akinwale
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
A. Akinwale
一些社会经济活动，如建筑、农业、天然气燃烧、石油勘探和运输，影响了尼日利亚的自然环境。这些活动是大多数利比里亚人的主要收入来源。然而，上述社会经济活动的不利后果与保护环境的必要性之间存在着脱节。虽然尼日利亚政府已经建立了环境保护机构，但尼日利亚的环境挑战仍然很大。这种情况可以归咎于尼日利亚多年来的忽视和恶劣的社会经济条件，人们在生存斗争中基本上违反了环境法，而不受惩罚。社会经济活动如何影响尼日利亚的沿海环境？当地对尼日利亚的环境保护有何贡献？这些问题在解释性理论的范围内得到了解决，并辅之以尼日利亚拉各斯八个沿海社区的青年和社区领导人之间的32次焦点小组讨论。受访者是从尼日利亚的拉各斯州的沿海社区特意挑选的。结果表明，沿海社区的社会经济活动的困境的共识，变化不大。捕鱼、耕作、挖沙和贸易是研究地区的热门职业。有人就社会经济活动对沿海环境的影响发表了不同意见。渔民声称，挖沙对捕鱼活动造成了障碍，而挖沙者则抱怨与水面上发现的化学物质有关的污染。农民们承认，他们焚烧灌木，这可能对环境产生不利影响。然而，对环境法的认识普遍较低。这一调查结果表明，尼日利亚执行环境法的执法机制薄弱。除了尼日利亚政府设立的环境保护机构的活动外，当地的环境保护措施包括暂时撤出水生环境和制裁违约者。研究报告的结论是，随着自然资源的污染，沿海生计一直令人遗憾。因此，共同努力对于控制沿海社区的环境挑战至关重要。
Several socio-economic activities such as construction, farming, gas flaring, oil exploration and transportation have affected the physical environment in Nigeria. These activities constitute major sources of revenue for the majority of Nigerians. Yet, there is disconnection between adverse consequences of the above-mentioned socio-economic activities and the need to protect the environment. Though Nigerian governments have established environmental protection agencies, environmental challenges remain high in Nigeria. This situation can be adduced to several years of neglect and poor socio-economic conditions in Nigeria where people largely contravene environmental laws with impunity in their struggle for survival. How do socio-economic activities influence the coastal environment in Nigeria? What are local contributions to environmental protection in Nigeria? These questions were addressed within interpretive theories complemented by 32 Focus Group Discussions among youth and community leaders in eight coastal communities in Lagos State of Nigeria. Respondents were purposively selected from the coastal communities in Lagos State, Nigeria. Results showed a consensus on the dilemma in socio-economic activities of coastal communities with minor variations. Fishing, farming, sand digging and trading were popular occupations in the study areas. Dissenting views were expressed concerning implications of socio-economic activities on the coastal environment. Fishermen claimed that sand digging created hindrances to fishing activities, while sand diggers complained about pollution associated with chemicals found on the water. Farmers confessed that they practised bush burning which could adversely affect the environment. However, awareness of environmental laws was generally low. This finding indicates that law enforcement mechanisms for the implementation of environmental laws are weak in Nigeria. Beyond the activities of the environmental protection agencies established by the Nigerian governments, local measures for environmental protection include temporary withdrawal from aquatic environment and sanction of defaulters. The study concludes that with contamination of natural resources coastal livelihoods have become persistently deplorable. Therefore, combined efforts are essential for controlling environmental challenges in coastal communities.