In 2011, A report launched by the International Telecommunication Union, ITU and the Global e-Sustainability Initiative, GeSI highlighted how Information and communication technologies, ICTs are of fundamental importance in helping countries everywhere adapt to climate change and to deal with its sometimes catastrophic effects.
The report describes, with concrete examples, how ICTs can achieve these goals in three main ways, which are:
*Driving down emissions in the ICT sector itself;
*Cutting emissions and raising energy efficiency in other sectors; and
*Using ICT-based systems to monitor weather and the environment worldwide, as well as to swiftly transmit data, analysis and alerts.
The report highlighted the crucial importance of ICT in keeping watch over the Earth’s climate and weather, and in warning of impending natural disasters. Thousands of lives are saved every year through monitoring systems that use data from satellites as well as sensors on land and sea.
The report brings to the fore that if the job of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NIMET is to enhance data collection, processing, storage and application for product generation in the different areas of meteorology such as aeronautical, hydro-meteorology, agro-meteorology, marine and climate services; then the federal government’s attempt to pump “huge sum of money in the provision of infrastructure, as well as human capital development, in the aviation Parastatals,” as claimed by the Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, could not have come at a better time.
One of such infrastructures receiving the attention of the government in NiMet, is its information and communication technology, ICT centre which according to Chidoka who performed the commissioning on Monday in Abuja, will “enhance efficiency of collection, processing, archiving and dissemination of metrological data and information”, and an indication that the agency has “transformed into a world-class technology driven organisation whose operations are in consonance with contemporary global best practices,” he said.
It is imperative to state that climate change has constituted a serious global environmental threat. This phenomenon can cause severe weather, condition which might result in a natural disaster. The damage ensuing from climate change could result in invaluable losses to a community’s resources such as human, material, economic as well as environmental adversities, UNEP, 2011.
Consequently, changes in temperature and rainfall for instance, could significantly affect the yield of agricultural farms. Sequel to the above, the decline in farm yield would impact unfavourably on earnings from agricultural output.
Also, like most commodities, seasonal changes in weather affect the demand for oil. Extreme weather conditions (hurricanes, tornadoes, thunderstorms) can physically affect production facilities and infrastructure disrupting the supply of oil and induce pricing spikes.
Hurricanes in 2005, for example, shut down oil and natural gas production as well as refineries. As a result, petroleum product prices increased sharply as supplies to the market dropped. Severely cold weather can strain product markets as producers attempt to supply enough of the product, such as heating oil, to consumers in a short amount of time, resulting in higher prices. Other events such as refinery outages or pipeline problems can restrict the flow of oil and products, driving up prices.
Furthermore, risky weather conditions are major threats to aircraft movements and have caused several flight cancellation and delays around the world.
Weather condition can cause a flight to become a nightmarish experience, as about 30 to 35 per cent of aviation accidents are weather related.
These delays in flight time are contributing to economic losses at different rates and this has emphasised the need for a proper knowledge of hazardous elements as individuals fly domestic and international airlines.
With some of these facts laid, the management of NiMet, led by its Director General, Dr. Anthony Anuforom said commissioning of the ICT centre was part of the strategic plan of the agency which was reviewed in 2012.
With the ICT centre in place, NiMet will justify government’s investment in the agency which according to government is aimed at strengthening the sector’s capacity to contribute at least five per cent to the national Gross Domestic Product, GDP and strengthen their capacity to increase Internally Generated Revenue, IGR and eventually become independent of government’s funding.
It will also help boast the commercialisation initiative of the agency and enhance the efficiency of collection, processing, archiving and dissemination of meteorological data and information.
The ICT centre can systematically monitor supplies and shortages of water and food crops, as well as delivering advice to farmers on how to improve yields, major oil companies, airport and maritime authorities in Nigeria and the world alike.
The centre will not only help in advance weather forecasting and climate monitoring, but will be also essential in disseminating information to large audiences, for example via mobile phones, through it ultra-modern studio.
According to Anuforom, the oil and gas and maritime sector will this time have a major concentration. “We can also give forecast so the industry can streamline it’s operation effectively. We have now developed the capacity to carry out this function,” Anuforom said.
He further informed that the oil and gas summit which will hold in Nigeria will have NiMet and the United Kingdom metrological office partnering technically in the exhibition.
“There we will announce to the oil and gas sector that our agency is ready to offer commercial services.”
To also prove it readiness, the agency said it is ready to be fully certified in the ISO 17025 of it aeronautical metrological services, which it said has scaled through the first maintenance audit last year. “it will enable us show the world that our instrument calibration laboratory is world class and meets international standards.”
He further said it has successfully used the instrument to calibrate for Ghana metrological agency late last year. Anuforom said his agency’s target is to go beyond Africa. “To do that we will need the ISO 17025 certification.”
The ICT centre, will strategically help the agency reduce the preponderance of revenue from aeronautical source since the present revenue from such sources according to Anuforom, accounts for the 90% of the sector’s revenue, while there are untapped opportunities from the oil and gas, and maritime sector.
In his opinion, the new automated facilities will help drive the process of having at least 50% generated as revenue from non aeronautical sources.
The ultimate benefit of infusing new technology into NiMet’s operations according to Anuforom is to attain self sufficiency and to curb dependence on government funding.
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Benefits of applying ICT in NiMet’s forecasting
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