An environmentalist has raised the alarm, warning that the country’s economy faces a bleak future if immediate and sustained efforts are not made to combat climate change.
According to Dr. Kalua Green, a renowned environmentalist and ecopreneur, failure to find solutions to extreme weather events and environmental degradation could lead to significant economic disruptions across various sectors.
Speaking at the launch of the Institute for Sustainability and Climate under the International Leadership University, Dr. Green indicated that Kenya is already losing approximately 3 to 5% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) due to climate change.
“The bleed on the economy and its entire output costs us about Ksh. 870 billion annually. This is strictly due to climate change. It encompasses the costs of floods, droughts, failed harvests, lost jobs, and damaged infrastructure,” he said.
This trend is likely to persist and result in greater costs for Kenyans if urgent action is not taken. Government and institutions of higher learning are now being called upon to collaborate and develop courses that could change this trajectory and avert a potential catastrophe.
“If over the next 15 years nothing is done and nothing changes, we are looking at a loss of Ksh. 15 trillion. This amount is sufficient to transform our entire nation. These are not just numbers; they represent our schools, hospitals, farms, and futures. Climate change is not a luxury,” Dr. Green warned.
He further argued that President William Ruto’s vision of making Kenya an environmental hub and his goal of planting 15 billion trees by 2032 may not materialize if Kenyan institutions of higher learning do not take the lead.
“Most of our universities are a total mess. The ones you would expect to have everything needed to take this country to the next level have forgotten that we are in a time of crisis. Leaders are fighting in courts one after another because of other interests,” lamented Dr. Green.
He noted that Kenya and Africa, in general, have the capability to lead the world in developing solutions to reverse the adverse effects of climate change, emphasizing that they are the most affected and that collaboration is essential, particularly from institutions of higher learning.
Consequently, Kenyans have been urged to take the quest to protect and preserve the environment seriously, as there are significant consequences to neglecting this responsibility.
President Ruto has been a strong advocate for conservation efforts, introducing annual tree planting days.
Institutions of higher learning are now being challenged to devise solutions that will give the country a competitive edge in environmental conservation and allow it to benefit from carbon credits.
