Stop Lake Magadi siltation
A view of Lake Magadi in Kajiado County.
What you need to know:
- Experts hold deforestation responsible for greenhouse gas emissions with an adverse impact on ecosystems and biodiversity.
- Should the environmental degradation trends continue unabated, they will accelerate desertification, pollution and ocean acidification with disastrous effects on fauna and flora eventually.
- Pollution can aggravate the spread of diseases like asthma.
The latest pronouncement by the National Environment and Complains Committee (NECC) that Lake Magadi, the sole source of soda ash in Kenya, will cease to exist in five years due to siltation is worrying.
The NECC secretary, Dr John Chumo, blamed cultivation in Nairagie-Enkare, Komoto, Oloitip, Suswa and Oltapot for it.
The Constitution, in the preamble, says that we, the people of Kenya, are respectful of the environment, which is our heritage, and are determined to sustain it for the benefit of future generations.
One of the agenda in the Kenya Vision 2030 development blueprint is to provide a high quality of life to all citizens in a clean and secure environment. One of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is to ensure environmental sustainability.
Environmental degradation
Apparently, our environment is one of the key drivers of the economy and the lifeblood of business enterprises. Hence, failure to address the effects of environmental degradation could have serious consequences for human beings, animals and plants.
Whereas Articles 69 (2) states that every person has a duty to cooperate with state organs to protect and conserve the environment and ensure ecologically sustainable development and use of natural resources, wanton destruction of indigenous trees has become the norm.
Experts hold deforestation responsible for greenhouse gas emissions with an adverse impact on ecosystems and biodiversity.
Climate change
Climate change and environmental degradation could disrupt the agricultural, transport and tourism economy. Worse, greenhouse gas emissions from industrial waste, hence air, water, and soil pollution, are partly to blame for global warming.
Should the environmental degradation trends continue unabated, they will accelerate desertification, pollution and ocean acidification with disastrous effects on fauna and flora eventually.
Pollution can aggravate the spread of diseases like asthma.
For the sake of posterity and progeny, environmental conservation is a duty and not an option.
