…Charges Govt To Strengthen Early Warning System Dr. Rose Alani, Lead, Air Quality Monitoring Research Group (AQMRG), University of Lagos, has said that the cold, harsh and unfriendly weather, which Lagos State residents began to experience recently is not harmattan, but an extreme form of air pollution that is harmful to health, and may linger for some time. Dr. Rose Alani, Lead, Air Quality Monitoring Research Group (AQMRG), University of Lagos, who spoke exclusively to Independent on the issue, said that the situation is caused by a number of factors, including the influence of monsoon season and potential impact of climate change. Recall that The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) cautioned residents against the dangers of the weather. She said the cold is not caused by harmattan, “as harmattan is usually cold weather with dust, and the harmattan season normally begins from November to March. “But now, this is July. What I can say is that it is a combination of some factors – the influence of monsoon season and potential impact of climate change.” Saying that climate change has a lot to do with air pollution, Dr. Alani noted “the monsoon season can cause cooler temperatures, temperatures getting colder and an increase in humidity without any dust.” She added that “climate change contributes to changes in weather patterns, potentially causing variations in the timing, and intensity.” According to her, “Monsoon is a seasonal prevailing wind that happens between May and September and it brings rain. It is a seasonal wind shift that happens between the wet and dry period. This wind reverses direction and seasonally brings monsoon rain, as well as heavy rains in the summer.” Corroborating the claim that the cold weather will last for some time, as well as cause reduced lung functions, respiratory infections, among other illnesses, Dr. Alani said: “The monsoon comes with the wind that brings the rain and then the cold period. The monsoon does not stop instantly like that. I agree with LASEPA because we have what is called the monsoon retreat. “The monsoon retreat starts withdrawing the wind gradually, and the wind doesn’t just stop abruptly. It retreats gradually, and will take several months to complete that withdrawal. Now, we are in July and the monsoon period is between June and August. The monsoon is up now, it won’t cut off easily but will last gradually for a few months. While noting that the monsoon also causes illnesses, Dr. Alani said: “Even the harmattan can cause illness as we are completely familiar with harmattan and its effects. “The monsoon does not cause air pollution directly but can exacerbate existing conditions, create conditions that make it more harmful to health, as well as spark pollutants. It will lead to increased concentration of pollutants and also increase potential health risk.” On measures to check further ocurrances, the air quality expert advised the government to strengthen early warning system further from what is being experienced in the country and enhance communication to people. Dr. Alani suggested timely dissemination of information to the citizens about the cold weather risks so that they will know the steps to take. To also check the situation, she said that government should encourage and support sustainable urban planning, energy efficiency, water conservation, as well as improve public transportation so that there will not be too many vehicles on the road emitting pollution into the air. She also urged the government to ensure citizens’ access to essential health and other services during extreme weathers like this so that people can get timely help, develop and enforce regulations leading to air quality issues. Among others, Dr. Alani advised that the government should fund climate change researches that impact lives, researches that will develop adaptation strategies, equip emergency response teams, put necessary resources in place and train emergency response teams on how to handle cold-related emergencies. She advised that the citizens should, on their part, pay attention to weather forecast, prepare for cold weather, get warm and thick clothing, especially during evenings and mornings, and ensure proper insulation of their houses. The air quality expert also urged citizens to adapt to eco-friendly habits by using public transportation systems so that they do not emit so much pollutants into the air as everyone brings cars on the roads. “We should advise the government and business owners to prioritise climate action and sustainable development. Utilize available resources put in place by the government wisely,” she advised.