Editorial

Appreciate the environment but not for only exploits

The existence of lucrative, untapped potential opportunities widely distributed in the vast lands ‘of great abundance’ are a great security to the nation and its people.

Josephine Napwon, the minister of Environment and Forestry’s assessment state visit to the West recently, if seen from a developmental perspective is one worth noting. The objective of the visit was “… to visit all our National Reserve Teak Plantation and to assess the damages and how we can restore it back. To assess sprawling teak forests and how it can be revamped to supply lumber and the government’s income.”

It is always of importance to note implementations and plans that are made by the people who are responsible for executing their duties. The efforts made by them no matter how long overdue or how swift they may be, it is worth mentioning. The minister, ‘further cited that; she will soon visit the oil -producing areas to assess alleged pollution.’ Plausible.

The move to have a national thorough check up on the environment especially in a time of extreme climate change, abrupt changes in weather patterns, increasing heat waves – all these being a direct contributor to the already worsening food scarcity and insecurity in the country. Not excluding also social security breach – some of the conflicts are not only caused by revenge but also by hunger, lack and inadequacy of food in people’s homes.

We should be the ones to protect our own environment. “In a few decades, the relationship between the environment, resources and conflict may seem almost as obvious as the connection we see today between human rights, democracy and peace.” Wangai Maathai, who was a Kenyan social, environmental, and political activist. She is internationally recognized for her persistent struggle for democracy, human rights and environmental conservation. She won numerous awards for her contribution to society including WANGO Environment Award in 2003, The Petra Kelly Prize for Environment 2004, The Conservation Scientist Award 2004. She is a great personality to pick a leaf from.

 

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