Climate Change, Livelihood Vulnerability, and Environmental Security in the Lake Chad Basin: Evidence from Border Communities (2010-2024)
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: The Lake Chad Basin has experienced catastrophic environmental transformation over the past six decades, with the 2010–2024 period marking a critical intensification of climate stressors that have fundamentally altered livelihood systems and security dynamics in the region. This study examined the impact of climate change in the Lake Chad region between 2010 and 2024, utilizing Environmental Security Theory to analyze the intersection of environmental degradation, livelihood collapse, and trans-border criminality. Employing a sequential mixed-methods research design, the study combined quantitative survey data from 400 respondents across six border communities in Nigeria (n = 257), Chad (n = 95), and Cameroon (n = 48), with qualitative interviews from 15 key informants. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis (NVivo) were used to analyze data. Quantitative results revealed strong consensus among respondents regarding severe climate impacts, with mean scores ranging from 4.08 to 4.19 (on a 5-point scale) for variables including changes in rainfall patterns (M = 4.19), prolonged droughts (M = 4.17), rising temperatures (M = 4.15), reduced water availability (M = 4.14), negative impacts on fishing (M = 4.13), and deteriorated livelihood conditions (M = 4.08). Qualitative findings revealed three interconnected dimensions of climate impact: environmental effects (drought, desertification, biodiversity loss), livelihood deterioration (agricultural collapse, displacement), and conflict/security (resource competition, Boko Haram insurgency, trans-border criminality). The study concludes that the 2010–2024 period represented a qualitative shift wherein environmental stressors overwhelmed traditional resilience mechanisms, creating conditions conducive to criminal exploitation. The findings validate Environmental Security Theory’s proposition that environmental degradation constitutes a significant driver of human insecurity, underscoring the necessity for integrated climate-security policy frameworks that address the tripartite nexus of environmental restoration, livelihood resilience, and regional security cooperation.
Authors: Bashir Malam, Yusuf M. Yahaya, Benjamin Isah
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7212430838