Case Study: The Niger Delta

Question 1

Facts and Figure (2)

Answer 1

• Area: 70,000km2 - takes up 7.5% of Niger’s territory

- One of the five most polluted place on Earth

Question 2

Effects (5)

Answer 2

• Destroys 20m people’s houses
• Oil spills, acid rain, gas flares, stripping away mangroves have killed off fish, release greenhouse gases
• Damages crops and fishing –> cause usurp and violence
• 20,000 Ha of mangroves disappeared from the coast due to dredging for oil and gas exploitation
• Construction and increased shipping → changed local wave patterns → shore erosion and migration of fish

Question 3

Causes (3)

Answer 3

• No gas pipeline (50% accidents of oil spills related to inadequate pipelines)
• 6817 oil spills incidents
• Flaring of unwanted natural gas is the major problem (Shell)