CLIMATE CHANGE INDUCED CHALLENGES ON DEFORESTATION: THE NEEDS TO EDUCE MITIGATION MEASURES IN NIGERIA.

Climate change induced challenges and ecologically degrading has been evident in persistent forest depletion in the world. This environmental problem has been in alarming rate most especially in the developing world. With global outcry on the consequences of constant unsustainable forest destruction topping the agenda of most contemporary intellectual discourses in the recent time. Thus, the need to examine the current deforestation situation necessitates a work of this nature. The analysis of challenges facing economic forest in Nigeria and the likely mitigation measures to embark upon in as to reduce the degradation of forest in the country is overdue. The paper establishes the existence of pressures on the forest communities in Nigeria due to number of causes such as; urbanization, overpopulation, mining and agricultural expansion programmers among others. For the nation to retain the forest resources that promote rural welfare, income and employment generation, urban and rural livelihood, poverty alleviation, and sustainable forest management, great attempt needs to be made to guide against human activities that encourage forest depletion. Potential forest degradation crises have made it clear that the environment and the economy can no longer be considered in isolation. At the same time, financial and economic crisis has provided the opportunity for policy interventions aimed at discouraging deforestation of the environment and renewed growth on more environmentally and socially sustainable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]