Climate change

Climate change presents significant threats to human and environmental systems, with impacts including rising temperatures, flooding, drought, biodiversity loss, and declining agricultural productivity. While a variety of adaptation strategies exist, adoption rates remain relatively low, often due to social, institutional, and psychological barriers rather than a lack of available
measures. This study helps to investigate the underlying factors that hinder individuals from adopting climate change adaptation strategies, with particular focus on psychological, social, financial, institutional, and sociocultural barriers. A structured questionnaire was administered to 160 respondents in Benin City, and the data were analyzed using SPSS for reliability, descriptive statistics, and correlation analysis. The reliability of the instrument used for this study is 0.867. The result revealed that a majority of respondents are aware of climate change adaptation strategies and understand their potential impacts. Contrary to expectations, insufficient finance and sociocultural beliefs were not identified as significant barriers, as most respondents demonstrated that finance was not a barrier to them and cultural openness to adaptation measures. Institutional and government-related barriers were minimal, though concerns about unclear policies and low trust in government initiatives were noted. Psychological barriers, such as low self-efficacy and skepticism toward expert advice, emerged as moderate obstacles, influencing perceptions of responsibility and individual action. Correlation analysis showed a negative relationship between age and education with climate change awareness, while awareness was positively associated with psychological barriers. Therefore, people in the study area have little challenges in term of awareness, finances, institutional, psychological and
sociocultural barriers in adopting climate change adaptation strategies. . However, climate literacy should be integrated into curricula and supported by media and community-based outreach so as to increase awareness.

Climate change poses significant environmental, economic, and social challenges globally, and Nigeria is no exception. This study examines the legal framework for combating climate change in Nigeria, with a focus on the policies, laws, and regulatory mechanisms designed to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, promote sustainable development, and enhance resilience to climate-related risks. Through a comprehensive review of national legislation, international treaties, and policy instruments, including the Nigerian Climate Change Act, the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) Act, and Nigeria’s commitments under the Paris Agreement, the study highlights the strengths and gaps in the current legal regime. Key challenges identified include inadequate enforcement mechanisms, limited public awareness, and insufficient integration of climate change considerations into sectoral laws. The study concludes that while Nigeria has made important legal strides in addressing climate change, effective implementation, harmonization of laws, and stronger institutional capacity are critical to achieving sustainable environmental outcomes. Recommendations include strengthening regulatory frameworks, enhancing inter-agency coordination, and promoting public participation in climate governance.

Climate change driven by increasing atmospheric CO₂ concentrations calls for urgent implementation of atmospheric CO2 reduction. However, adsorbents are mostly expensive and energy-intensive, especially for developing nations. Agricultural wastes, especially corn cobs, are a sustainable alternative due to their lignocellulosic composition, natural porosity,
and abundance as underutilized biomass. This study investigated the CO₂ adsorption potential of chemically activated corn cob-derived adsorbent through packed bed column experiments. Corn cobs were collected, processed, and activated using potassium hydroxide (KOH) at temperatures between 400-600°C. CO₂ gas was generated in-situ via CaCO₃-HCl reaction and
passed through glass columns (2.1 cm diameter, 5 cm bed height) at flow rates of 0.5-2.0 L/min. Four particle size ranges (100, 250, 500, and above 500 μm) were evaluated over 60- minute contact periods at ambient temperature (29±2°C).
Characterization via SEM-EDS revealed highly porous morphology with 90.05% carbon content and oxygen-containing functional groups favorable for CO₂ binding. The 100 μm particle size achieved the highest equilibrium adsorption capacity of 5,459 ppm·L/g, while 250 μm particles demonstrated optimal removal efficiency of 48.0%. Breakthrough analysis indicated that smaller particles delayed saturation, with 100 μm maintaining effectiveness beyond 45 minutes compared to 25 minutes for above 500 μm particles. Flow rate influenced performance, with reduced rates (0.5 L/min) compensating for larger particle sizes by increasing contact time. These findings reveal that corn bobs are a viable solution for carbon capture.