Kenya: Vision for a sustainable world, how this vision will be achieved and how colonization impacted our journey to a sustainable world

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Environment Aug 1, 2017 by Tracy Cherotich

I chose this specific image because it shows a few effects of climate change and causes. This particular image shows the industries which produce an extreme amount of greenhouse gases which lead to increased temperatures. This will then lead to melting of the ice caps in the arctic and therefore heighten sea levels.

A)What is your vision for a sustainable world?

Recently, on my way to school, we passed by Karura forest. Usually I don't really pay much attention to it but that day what i saw shocked me. Towards the edge of the forest right by the small over polluted river that passes it, i noticed a large number of trees which were cut down. Okay i might be exaggerating a tiny bit but i believe i have the right to. Thanks to my brothers, who always bombard my mum with millions of questions about the forest, i know that it is in fact ILLEGAL to cut down indigenous trees.

My vision for a sustainable world is where we learn to live within our means. A world where those who have plenty will give to those who have little to none. A world where parents do not send their very own children to the streets instead of being taken to school. A world where we will respect the environmental laws put in place and not ignore them simply because you were slipped a 1000 shilling note.

B)What are you planning to do to make this vision a reality?

Here in Kenya we can begin by putting in place stricter fines for those who attempt to cut down these trees or pollute any rivers within any forest. We could also have officers from KWS (Kenya Wildlife Service) patrolling the forests anytime because it may not only happen right at the edges but deep in the canopies where nobody bares witness but the animals.

The government could also put in stricter fines for those who are caught. Signs could also be placed at every entrance to any forest. These signs will hopefully educate those who are unaware of the crime they are committing.

C)What impact has colonization had on our journey to a sustainable planet?

This question could be argued from either side. On one hand; it is because of colonization that so many of our industries came to be. These same industries that are sitting on the graves of various forests. The manipulation of this land started our dangerous journey in depleting our resources. However one could also argue that if we were not colonized, our country would not develop. We would have been unaware of the limited resources within our midst and we would have emptied all of them dry.

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2 Comment(s)

Lebogang Disele

Sep 21, 2017

Hi Tracy, my name is Lebo. I will be your mentor for Cop 23, nice to meet you.I have read your post with great interest. I really like the image that you selected. I would like us to look at it with greater detail. Looking at Africa, what is the cause of global warming for us? It is often blamed on industry, but that is not reflected on the picture. So what challenges do you think we face in curbing environmental degradation?A) I would like to invite you to unpack your comment about accepting a "1000 shilling note". What might be some of the reasons people break the law for money? What challenges does that pose to you as a Kenyan, and to your government, in terms of protecting the environment.B) What is the literacy rate in Kenya? What other things can the government and other bodies do to educate people about climate change, environmental sustainability protecting natural resources? C) Historically, how did people engage with the earth? How did colonization change that? How can we learn from that to be able to move forward?I hope this is helpful to you and your schoolmates in term of think about the connection between colonization and climate change.