Paper Title
Effect of Climate Change on Rural Poor Communities in EDO North Senatorial District, Nigeria

Abstract
In many locations and residential areas of Edo North, rural economy is closely tied to its natural environment. Rural workers and communities are the stewards of most Nigerian mining fields, forests, agricultural land, and industries. Climate change presented both positive and negative results for rural economies. These seem to be the situation in typical rural poor communities in Edo North and its environment like Ikpeshi, Igarra, Ehikhue and so on. This paper studies climate change perception index and effects on rural poor communities to investigate impact of climate change on health hazard and environmental degradation in the rural poor communities in Edo North Senatorial District, Nigeria. Data were collected based on designed measures. Standard environmental impact scale and climate change perception index were designed to elicit response from the respondents residents in the study area of the research parameter. Coding techniques on a scale of <15 and >15 were categorized as low and high climate change perception index (CCPI). Likert scale on 1-5 was used to classify health hazard (HH) as 5- very severe, 4- highly severe, 3-moderately severe, 2- severe and 1-not severe. Environmental degradation (DE) was based on 3-scale of high, 2-low, and 1-no degradation for the data collection and analysis. Data were analysed electronically with the use of Microfit version 4.0. Undated time series approach was adopted to analyse the dependent variable (CCPI) and independent variables (HH and DE). Climate change perception index was modeled on health hazard and environmental degradation which was of the regression model was largely negative. The findings implied there is an inverse relationship between climate change perception index, environmental degradation and health hazard. Climate change perception index (CCPI) is not statistically significant; however, DE is statistically significant to the CCPI in the current years but contributing 0.016 negatively to environmental degradation. Climate change perception index (CCPI) revealed 5.7 increases in health hazard. In addition, there is an overall joint significance between climate change perception index and effects on rural poor. The study recommended that, if climate change perception index of Nigeria is clean and low, environmental degradation and health hazard in the rural poor communities will significantly reduced in the current year. Hence, debate and discussion on mitigation and adaptation must be of interest in the rural poor communities in Nigeria. Keywords - Climate, Change, Degradation, Environment, Model and Mitigation