Incorporate environmental crisis in Building Bridges Initiative debate
As Kenyans navigate the intricate socio-political and economic terrain in the ongoing national conversation, they also have to contend with one of the greatest challenges facing humanity today — climate change.
Apart from negative ethnicity and corruption, environmental degradation occasioned by climate change and human activity equally poses a threat to sustainable development.
Climate change is costing lives and presents a human rights challenge that needs to be addressed in the consultations and validation of the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report.
Citizens expect changes in policies, modification of behaviour to reverse damage to the environment and ensure climate justice to advance inclusive development.
While still grappling with the worst locust outbreak in the region in 70 years, news that the swarms have reached the country’s breadbasket in the North Rift provides an ominous outlook on food security affecting millions of vulnerable people. The insects destroy crops and devastate pasture.
Last week, officials and experts from around the world convened at the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) headquarters in Rome to negotiate the initial draft of a landmark post-2030 global biodiversity framework and targets for nature to 2030.
This new framework will be considered by the 196 Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) ahead of October’s UN Biodiversity Conference in Kunming, China.
The Rome negotiations outlined the upcoming Global Biodiversity Outlook (GBO5) report due in May. GBO5 will describe proven ways to protect nature, ecosystems and nature’s contributions to people as it underlines the high stakes for humanity involved in the success of these efforts.
Environmental degradation straddles the socio-economic spectrum, cuts across the political divide and is a grave danger to the people and the country’s development prospects.
Political will is needed to bring about real transformation requiring bold and decisive commitment at the national level to drive forward the 2030 Agenda and ensure a brighter future for people and planet.
As the home of United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), Kenya must demonstrate to its citizens and the international community that it is committed to these ideals by fully activating the National Climate Change Action Plan and the Kenya Environment Action Plan: Preparation Guidelines (2017-2022).
We must remain alive to the prophecy made years ago by climate scientists and experts that has now come true. World over, the effects of disasters is displacing more people as compared to other reasons for displacement like conflict and violence.
According to the World Migration Report (2020) by the UN International Maritime Organization, at the end of 2018, there were 28 million new internal displacements across 148 countries and territories.
“Sixty one per cent (17.2 million) of these new displacements were triggered by disasters, and 39 per cent (10.8 million) were caused by conflict and violence.”
When Pope Francis visited Kenya in November 2016, he made an impassioned plea for the environment in which he criticised the ‘new colonialism’, injustice and inequality.
“These are wounds inflicted by minorities who cling to power and wealth, who selfishly squander while a growing majority is forced to flee to abandoned, filthy and run-down peripheries.”
It is worth reflecting on the painful words that also aptly sum up the sins of environmental degradation, intolerance and lack of inclusivity that constitute a dark stain on our national conscience. — [email protected]
