SUSTAINABLE AND CLIMATE RESILIENT AFRICA

The theme for the Africa Climate Summit (ACS) 2023 is ‘Driving green growth & climate finance solutions for Africa and the world’.  The summit, currently being hosted in Kenya, calls upon African leaders to pledge and commit towards the Implementation of climate actions framework.  During the opening ceremony I listened to one speaker after another and they all spoke in one voice, ‘The need for a Sustainable and Climate resilient Africa’. It is unfortunate   that while Africa has negligible contribution to climate change, it stands out as the most vulnerable and faces the worst impacts of climate change. Fueling this vulnerability is the low levels of Economic growth in Africa and while climate change is a global challenge, the poor are unreasonably susceptible to its effects.

In his speech our President, His Excellency Dr William Samoei Ruto underscored the summit aim which is to unite us across boarders in envisioning a ‘climate proof future for all’. You could, however, be thinking that you are powerless against climate change and that there is very little that one person can do. This, however, is not the case. I invite you to look at some of the things you can do at an individual level to fight climate change.

One is to use energy wisely; as environmentalist David Suzuki says, “In a world of seven billion people, each of us is a drop in the bucket. But with enough drops, we can fill any bucket”. Small energy savings can gradually add up to protect the environment. This will save you money as well e.g. use of energy saving bulbs. Two is reducing emissions; choose to use your car less whenever possible and instead use sustainable transportation like bicycling or public transport. Three is putting into practice the 3Rs of sustainability; Reduce-consume less more efficiently, Reuse– giving new life to items that are no longer in use and Recycling-packaging, waste from electronic, garbage recycling etc. Four is watching your diet; reduce your consumption of meat (livestock is one of the biggest contaminators of the atmosphere) and increase your consumption of fruits and vegetables. Also avoid excessive packaging and processed foods. Five and the last one is acting against forest loss-use sustainable wood, plant trees and create your own green spaces.

Like World Vision believes, ‘every child deserves a healthy and safe environment now and a sustainable future’. The onus is onus is on you and me to guard the environment and ensure a sustainable future.

Reflection

The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.- Genesis 2:15 NIV

Mary Kamore is the Lead Consultant M_OliveS Mentors