Paper Details

Emissions of greenhouse gases by human activities have been producing climate change. One of the manifestations of climate change is an increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme climate events such as drought. This study assesses the impact of climate change on drought events inJigawa and Kano states, Nigeria. Objectives of the study include determining the past and projected (i) drought frequency,and (ii) drought intensity and changes in temperatures in the study area. Historical (1901-2020) and projected (2021-2100) rainfall and temperature data (CMIP6– SSP119 and SSP585) for the study area were downloaded from the World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal. The Standardized Precipitation Index characterized the rainfall conditions by drought and non-drought years.The temperature changes were portrayed using annual temperature anomaly. The results indicate comparatively wet conditions from the 1900s to the late 1960s, high drought frequency and intensity in the 1970s and 1980s and low occurrences in the last two decades. SSP119 indicates an increase in drought frequency toward the middle of the century (2021-2050) and a decrease toward the end. SSP585 indicates the opposite. Future increases in temperaturesportend an increase in drought intensity. This could be devastating in the study area because agriculture is the major occupation ofmost of the population. Therefore, it is capable of disrupting the socioeconomic stability of the states.In this area, a holistic approach to climate change adaptation should be vigorously pursued anddrought monitoring should be part of the environmental plan. KEYWORDS: Climate change, drought, drought frequency, drought intensity, standardized precipitation index