Population, Technology and Social Inequality: The Impact of the Dynamic Trio on Climate Change and Sustainable
Development in Nigeria
John Lekan Oyefara
Abstract
The issues around climate change have remained at the
centre of developmental discourse most especially in the
past two decades for obvious reasons. Human activities
such as burning of fossil fuels, coal and various
energy-related emissions from bush burning, cooking and
usage of various machines that produce smoke result in
the building up of greenhouse gases (GHGs), such as
carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, chlorofluorocarbon and
methane in the atmosphere, lead to global warming of the
earth surface and rising sea levels with devastating
consequences that threaten the existence of humanity and
earth. The paper examines the nexus between population,
technology, social inequality and climate change in
Nigeria. To achieve these objectives, eclectic research
methodology was adopted using documentary secondary
data. The theoretical underpinning of the paper was
derived from the integration of biological, economic and
social models as explanatory tools. The paper observed
and posited that the interactions between population
growth rate and size with evolution and diffusion of
technology across cultures and entrenched social
inequalities are major factors responsible for rapid
climate change and its associated consequences. In
Nigeria, the effects of climate change are already being
felt with unprecedented floods, rendering many people
homeless, devastating massive farmlands and population
dislocation. Using the UNFPA’s framework of agenda, the
paper suggests that the current Nigerian national
population growth rate should be contained, the
lifestyles most especially the adoption and utilization
of technology should be modified, social inequality
should be reduced, while various laws on environmental
sustainability should be strictly enforced.
JEL. Classification: K32, N5, P28, Q56.
Keywords: Population, Technology, Social Inequality, Climate Change, Nigeria.
