Environmentalist Wants Leaders to Secure Future Generation by Adopting Climate Change
By Ronald Ngoba
Email, thecoastnewspaper@gmail.com
Kilifi County environmental activists have asked political leaders to adopt climate change adaptation if they want to secure the future generation.
This, according to them, will uplift the economic opportunities of the local communities instead of politicizing their activities to protect the mother earth.
Speaking in Mtongani-Kidundu of Kilifi North Constituency after planting over 30,000 mangrove seedlings, Gro With Us Africa managing director Kelly Banda, says the fight against climate change is a race for everyone and should not be politicised.
He is concerned poiliticisation of environmental emerging issues will derail the efforts put in place to conserve and preserve environment biodiversity and ecosystems.
Banda praised the steps taken by both the county and national governments in addressing the crises involving deforestation of water towers saying the target is aimed at combating the impact of climate change witnessed globally.
“Our commitments as environmental conservancy to tackling climate change in Kilifi County is deep and has been triggered with the needy to secure our future generation as we have been victims of drought for decades. Our political leaders should embrace this and engage in tree planting during this short rain season to contribute to the climate change amelioration,” he said.
The MD also called for the investigation of some environmental organizations advocating for climate change in the county adding that some NGOs have been manipulating the local communities to milk funds from donors.
“Yes, there are Organization that the community need to be very alert with because they narrate good stories to favor their donors but the community get nothing. It’s high time, the government should analiyze these organization claiming advocating for climate change so that the community can benefit for their conservancy efforts,” he said.
His sentiments come after Kilifi North Constituency MP Owen Baya expressed concern on some environmental NGOs claiming they have been siphoning donor funds at the expense of local communities.
The legislator said more than five environmental organizations operating in the county have been getting funds from donors without the targeted communities benefiting.
The government is seeking to plant at least 15 billion trees in the next 10 years to raise the country’s forest cover to 30 percent by 2032.
The total budget for the 10 years bid is estimated at Sh600 million which means each year the country will spend Sh60 million for the exercise.
Kilifi climate change and governance platform chairperson Francis Thoya urged communities across the region to keep on planting more trees so as to protect the mother nature.
“Climate change affects everyone and we as environmental stakeholders we want to ensure that the mother nature comes back to its normal status. I urge all people to embrace conserving and preserving trees to restore the biodiversity,” he said.
