Schools In Kenya To Embark On Ambitious Tree Planting Project Amidst Climate Change Concerns

KWALE,Kenya, Dec, 17 – The government alongside other stakeholders are set to commence a tree planting initiative in schools, both primary and secondary across Kenya as part of efforts to combat the adverse environmental effects brought about by climate change.

The government has set itself a target of archiving 10 per cent forest cover by 2022.

My forests, an organisation dedicated to improving the forest cover in the country says that by planting trees in schools nationwide, Kenya might just realize its dream sooner rather than later.

While at Kwale Girls High School, Faith Wavinya Muinde,an officer at the organization says that Kenya has truly borne the brunt of the effects of climate change.

”We are targeting the schools because they are young and best information carriers to the society so that everyone can be involved in tree planting even at their homes as they go to holidays,” said Muinde.

Concerns have been raised over the number of trees being cut in schools across the country.

“We are asking other schools to come up with environmental clubs and plant trees instead of leaving children to stay idle so that we can increase the forest cover and also use the tree shade areas for studying,” said a student on the steps they are taking to mitigate effects of climate change.

During his open remarks at the seventh instalment of the annual devolution conference held in Makueni county in November, president Uhuru Kenyatta warned that Kenya must act now and be at the forefront of change if it is to win the battle against climate change.

Despite Kenya’s role in precipitating the global problem being negligible, contributing less than one per cent of the current global green house emissions, the country sits at number 31 as the most vulnerable nation to climate change.

“In the last two years, we witnessed the worst locust outbreak in 25 years, which left about one million people food-insecure in the Horn of Africa. The rising water levels of the Rift Valley Lakes, Lake Victoria and Turkwel Gorge Dam have displaced nearly 400,000 people in thirteen counties and affected biodiversity, including flamingoes in Lake Nakuru,” said President Kenyatta.

Generally, climate change is said to result in the loss of three per cent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) annually.

The current drought in the country where at least 2.5 million people are said to be battling serious famine is said to be as a result of the changing weather dynamics globally.

23 counties are battling the ongoing drought in the country.