By PMPS

Prime Minister Raila Odinga has asked African Governments to introduce lessons on environmental protection to shield the continent from ravages of climate change.

The PM said education experts should socialise children in the early stages of education on the values of preserving the environment and consequences of destroying it.

He called for a school curriculum that sensitises children as young as five years on the pertinent issues of environmental degradation.

"The foundation for tomorrow must be laid today," Mr Odinga said.

The PM asked the developed world to own up to their role in polluting the environment and support poor nations struggling to cope with the consequences of the pollution.

Referring to Government efforts to save the Mau Forest Complex, Mt Kenya and the Aberdares, among other water towers in Kenya, Odinga said environmental degradation posed a big risk to Africa.

Furious floods

He said Kenya was witnessing a surge in cases of highland Malaria, regular and prolonged droughts, followed by furious floods, all of which consumed Government resources.

"Natural disasters cause poverty, which in turn cause more disasters leading to more disaster. Many times leaders witness the environment degradation because it is politically expedient. But it is often only expedient for a while after which the degradation turns into disasters with immense political consequences," Raila told the second UN Session on Disaster Risk Reduction in Geneva, Switzerland on Tuesday.

He announced the formation of an Africa-wide organisation to push for environmental protection across the continent. "The organisation called ‘Black and Green: Ready to Lead Campaign’ will be formally launched in October to undertake sustained marketing, public relations and awareness campaigns across Africa," Raila said.

The PM called for increased investment in disaster risk reduction and asked for donors support. The UN has set 2015 as the date by which nations have to reduce by half deaths resulting from disasters and risks.

Raila called on African leaders to develop a single position on global warming and how to deal with it before they travel to Copenhagen later this year for a global forum.

Special Programmes Minister Naomi Shaban accompanied the PM to the conference.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said many people were dying from disasters linked to environmental degradation.