CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE DISAPPEARING LAKE CHAD

Lake Chad, once a thriving freshwater lake supporting millions of people across Nigeria, Chad, Niger, and Cameroon, is now a shadow of its former self. Over the past five decades, the lake has shrunk by more than 90%, transforming from a vast inland sea into scattered ponds and marshes. This dramatic reduction, driven by climate change, poor water management, and population pressure, has left devastating social, economic, and environmental consequences. For communities that rely on the lake for fishing, farming, and herding, the crisis has become a matter of survival rather than sustainability.