Recent Trends and Emerging Research in Climate Change: A Review with Focus on Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

This paper provides a comprehensive review of recent and emerging research on climate change from 2024 to 2025, with a particular emphasis on Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa. It highlights key global trends such as oceanic and cryospheric changes, attribution science, and emissions-related feedbacks. In the regional context, the paper delves into six major thematic areas: urban heat island effects, climate-related health risks, agricultural vulnerability, coastal degradation, climate-induced migration, and renewable energy transitions. It identifies persistent challenges such as data gaps, policy-research disconnects, and the underrepresentation of gendered and behavioral perspectives in climate studies. The review underscores the urgency for localized, interdisciplinary research and proposes actionable recommendations aimed at bridging knowledge gaps and supporting evidence-based adaptation and mitigation strategies in vulnerable regions.