ABSTRACT
Based on its geographical location and low adaptive strategies, Nigeria is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Seventy per cent of the Nigerian population (estimated at 211 million and projected to increase to 400 million by 2050) relies on rainfed agricultural practices. Women are primarily involved in subsistence agriculture and are extensively affected by flooding. They bear many risks and burdens associated with climate impacts; for instance, they ensure that the family has water for daily needs, often trekking miles to access clean water, and they collect and burn firewood as the energy source for cooking food. In the legal landscape of Nigeria, and amidst growing vulnerabilities amidst the climate impacts, the Climate Change Act 2021 explicitly provides for anyone to seek redress at the courts for actions or inactions exacerbating climate change impacts. Although climate litigation is beneficial to Nigerian women in fostering climate resilience, at the time of writing, there has been no case before the Nigerian courts brought by women against the government, private companies, or individuals aimed at mitigating carbon emissions or strengthening resilience and adaptation efforts. As such, this chapter interrogates the use of a human rights approach to environmental protection (HRAEP) to effectively undertake climate litigation and achieve the desired outcomes of building Nigerian women’s resilience against climate change impacts.
