Sensations of Air Temperature Variability and Mitigation Strategies in Urban Environments

Abstract

This study examined sensations of air temperature variability and mitigation strategies in the Niger Delta, Nigeria, using cross-sectional and descriptive research designs. This study purposively selected the capital cities of the nine states in the study area, while the simple random sampling technique was used to select the study elements. The Taro Yamane (1967) formula was employed in determining the study sample size of 400, which was apportioned to each of the cities based on proportional allocation with respect to the population of the cities, hence forming the basis for the distribution of the survey questionnaire. The results show that the majority were aware of the impacts of temperature and rated the temperature in the neighborhood as high, but were not aware of the comfort threshold of air temperature. The majority had never taken personal steps to mitigate high temperatures and, at the same time, were not satisfied with the level of temperature in their urban environment. Urban growth and rise in population, construction materials of urban surfaces, removal of trees/vegetation, manmade heat, air pollutants emission, congestion of buildings and time of season were found to stimulate high temperatures in the cities. Human discomfort, excessive heat, illness and diseases, soil aridity/lack of water in soil, poor air quality, increase in disease vectors, increase in energy demand and usage, and dehydration of the body and regular thirst for water were found to be impacts and problems associated with high temperatures. The prevailing strategies adopted to mitigate the impacts of high temperatures were only the use of electric fans (63.50%) and the drinking of plenty of water (92.50%). Therefore, the study recommends, among other things, that planting and preservation of trees should be encouraged, a mass awareness campaign on practices that exacerbate high temperatures should be sponsored by the authorities, and regulatory agencies should strictly control urban growth and be committed to the enforcement of environmental policies.