Kenyans do not understand the impact of climate change

By JOE OMBUOR

The voices of citizens of Africa are absent from national and international climate debate yet the continent is feeling effects of climate change the most.

A study by BBC finds that very few Kenyans, whatever their level of knowledge, link global warming to the known effects of climate change, such as the increased frequency off droughts and floods. "They connect pollution to heat but do not relate pollution to greenhouse gas emissions and the mechanism of global warming," reports the study.

"When presented with the concept of global warming, Kenyans do not connect it to human activities such as deforestation and pollution," finds the research. The few who link deforestation to global warming do not understand the role of forests as carbon sinks.

The study affirms that climate change has resulted in additional stress for citizens already struggling with the challenges posed by climate variability, ongoing environmental degradation and widespread poverty. "The interrelation of climate change with other factors is complex and still evolving," the research, reports.

Meanwhile, the British Council has taken the war against climate change a notch higher with a programme dubbed: British Council International Climate Champions. Already 10 such champions have been trained in Kenya where it is projected over 100 ICCs will have been trained by April 2010.

Kenya is among 60 countries that are hosting the ambitious programme, "helping young people to work together to develop ideas that can help tackle climate change and to voice their opinions to decision makers."

Carbon footprint

The programme involves helping young people develop and implement projects in their local communities that raise awareness of climate change, limit the impact of climate change and reduce carbon footprint.

The champions, aged between 11 and 35 spend a year working with their local communities on projects that raise awareness of climate change while encouraging the people to change their behaviour.

The council and other partners support the champions by providing training and skills building in project management and communication.

"We help champions to develop their own knowledge about climate change and their project ideas by offering inspirational visits to people and organisations working in the field," says the British Council.

Projects that champions are working on range from campaigns to ban plastic bags to car sharing schemes.

Africa alone has 17 countries in the ICC programme.

 

 

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