Tackling global boiling needs wittier local effort

A mother and child cool off by walking through a park fountain in Antwerp, Belgium. [AP photo]

One of the phrases that trended this week was “Global Boiling”, picked from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ speech, part of which read: “The era of global warming has ended. The era of global boiling has begun.”

This week has equally marked three key days – World Mangroves Day, Climate Emergency Day and World Nature Conservation Day. At the same time, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, got to choose a new chairperson in Nairobi on Thursday.

All the days focused on the well-being of Mother Earth. Of further key importance is the management of biodiversity loss and living within bearable temperatures.

As per Guterres’ comment, global boiling, not just warming, means a lot more calamities, diseases, conflict and migration, and myriad other problems. Last year, Kenyans suffered cholera at a time the Horn of Africa had one of the most prolonged drought seasons.

Mosquitoes are now moving to highlands because it is warm enough, taking with them malaria, according to a 2016 research. More animal and bird species are expected to move to cooler habitats to survive, carrying with them diseases and enabling mingling among species that never shared habitats before.

Guterres’ statement can be backed by the fact that July alone had the hottest weeks ever recorded, with high temperatures causing heat waves in parts of the world and flooding in the Philippines.

The climate crisis is partly attributed to human actions, especially pollution and fossil fuel use. Last year there were good projections that 2023 would see a reduction in fossil fuels reliance, according to Ember, a global energy sector think tank, which also reported a spike in wind and solar power use from 10 per cent to 12 per cent.

Good progress, but not fast enough. The climate crisis continues to take a toll on the health of poor people in the global South. The climate clock, displayed on Climate Emergency Day on July 22, shows a rush towards less than six years left for real impactful actions. Our help must emanate from genuine actions, backed by policies, research and funding locally and globally. Kenya, for instance, has had great progress to regain lost forest and tree cover, besides a huge contribution to the national grid coming from renewable energy.

But actions such as the President’s lifting a six-year logging ban are dangerous. Sustainability should guide prioritising the well-being of locals. Besides awareness creation to foster a culture of responsible stewardship, detaching politics from conservation decisions is vital to ensure unbiased and science-driven policies.

Collaboration between governments, NGOs and communities can pave the way for a brighter and greener future for Africa and the world. Kenya is renowned for its rich biodiversity. Since frequent extreme weather events are already to blame for disrupted ecosystems, Kenya must act smart.

Kenya’s political landscape and biodiversity loss are interconnected. Conserving biodiversity must therefore not just be for the kind that will attract tourists but also what will ensure human livelihoods and food security without killing any species. Many Kenyans rely on agriculture, fisheries and traditional medicine for survival, hence a need to encourage non-interference with biodiversity.

Africa stands at the forefront of the global conversation on biodiversity preservation. We need a comprehensive approach that involves strong conservation policies, habitat restoration, and community engagement. Cross-border cooperation and support are also essential, since some species migrate across borders, making their conservation a shared responsibility.