**1. Introduction**

Humans have emitted about 450 billion tonnes of carbon since the industrial revolution which has contributed to the world's present climate crisis [1]. Additionally, the dependence on agro-economy, use of fossil fuels and industrial activities by developing countries have made huge contributions to increased levels of greenhouse gases (GHG) that have escalated global warming and sponsored a changing climate [2–5]. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change [6] defined climate change as a change that is distributed directly or indirectly to human activity, altering the composition of the global atmosphere.

The changes in climate characteristics that include temperature, humidity, rainfall and wind, among others, are influenced by natural and human processes over long periods of time [7–10].

The principal and most abundant GHGs in the atmosphere are water vapour, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and fluorinated gases (HFCs, PFCs, SF6) [11–13]. Carbon dioxide (CO2) makes up 60% of the greenhouse gases which alter the carbon cycle balance [14, 15]. They are emitted into our fragile atmosphere through human activities such as industrialization, burning of fossils, gas flaring, urbanization and agriculture. They increase global temperatures, thereby disrupting the current socio-economic and environmental processes [16, 17].

Human activities can also reduce the amount of carbon absorbed from the atmosphere through deforestation, land-use change, water pollution and agricultural production [18, 19]. In addition, developing countries are also involved in massive deforestation due to resource exploitation, urban expansion [2, 20] and agriculture in particular, which can cause carbon to be released from the soil at a faster rate than it is replaced.

Garrett Hardin's [21] concept of the "tragedy of the commons" identified that human unguarded actions are responsible for the depletion of natural resources and huge environmental compromise over the years. Rural areas that represent the resource base often get worse off by resource depletion and trickle-down effect of the urban vices. The aggressive demand placed on the environment and the unprotected means of processing raw materials are detrimental to climate change and the environment. Factors like improper/uncoordinated, non-participatory planning, non-implementation and enforcement of policies, among others, have been the bane of developing countries like Nigeria [2].

However, with the recent trend in global warming and the extent of man's responsibility in contributing to climate change, there is environmental concern towards sustainability. The concept of sustainability has become a major development process that will facilitate resource management and the minimization of impacts from human activities. The World Commission on Environment and Development [22] defines sustainable development as "development that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs".

The core component of the definition is the conservation and development of resources. Hence, there must be responsible interaction with the environment in the process of development to avoid depletion of natural resources and also allow for longterm restoration of environmental quality [3]. Unarguably, balancing human means of resource exploitation/production and environmental sustainability is a necessity since their outcomes have negative impacts on the environment. Hence, the need to review the extent of the developing world's contribution to global warming and the resulting consequences of climate change in these regions with focus on Nigeria as a case study and also to suggest possible solutions is the motivation for this study.
