This year Kenya has witnessed a very strange weather pattern conditions that has not only puzzled local elders but even professionals like Climatologists,even all Kenyans we’ve just gotten a taste of the many kinds of dangers that lie ahead:extreme cold weather conditions in August unlike during yesteryear’s where Nairobi was known to be cold during month of July, also massive droughts, forest destruction, massive power rationing, massive water rationing, spreading infectious diseases like H1N1 or swine flu that over 70 are currently confirmed to carry signs of H1N1.

Early this month of August, I was taken by my grandparent to visit Lake Naivasha. My grandpa tried to talk to his old friend farmer who was digging a pit in the riverbed, down to the water table approximately two meters below ground level. He did explained that until recently this was a perennial river – one that flows throughout the year – but now the river stops flowing during the dry season. Only when the annual rains begin in March does water reappear in the river bed. Until then, water-starved communities dig for water, if they can find it and if they can afford to pump it out.

Here is when I recalled about Impact of destroying forests destruction of Mau Forest,Burnt Forests, Molo Escarpments is telling it all things are difficult if not so thick to handle,hunger is all over but thanks to some leaders who are coming out openly to speak about Kenya of the future. Failures of rainfall contribute not only to famines and chronic hunger, but also to the onset of violence when hungry people clash over scarce food and water.

The climate is changing, and more is yet to come.The specific patterns of change are not known precisely. Yet major and mostly developed country are very reluctant to sign the treaties that will provide a proper framework o how we shall manage climate change and also long-term course of events on the plan Not leaving behind our wonderful political leaders who are not willing to discuss the social and economical impacts of destroying our forests. Aberdare was destroyed we buried it Now Mau Forest is under human destruction,we are blind to learn, no action because votes will go which is a misguided wisdom that our leaders have but am positive they will see sense and act.

Is coming out clearly that Climate change is equated with “global warming,” but much more than warming is involved. The rising concentration of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases is leading to more extreme coldness in Kenya, rising ocean levels, melting glaciers and ice sheets on Mt Kenya , droughts in Eastern part of the country and other climate changes. Even the biological status of the land and ocean is changing, with the ocean s like Indian Ocean becoming more acidic – thus threatening coral reefs – as a result of higher carbon dioxide.

Globally, actions that are needed are difficult to introduce, because they go to the heart of the world’s use of energy, particularly its use of fossil fuels (coal, oil, and gas), which, when burned, release carbon dioxide – the key source of rising greenhouse gases – into the atmosphere. Yet the world economy depends on fossil fuels, and developing countries will need to use more, not less, of them as their economies grow.

Unfortunately, clean, renewable energy sources that do not emit carbon dioxide, such as wind power and geothermal power, are not yet sufficient. Solar power can be produced on the required scale but is too expensive under current technologies.

Nuclear power is relatively cheap, and could be plentiful, but poses huge dangers for increased proliferation of nuclear-weapons materials.
This is one reason why USA went to war with Iraq also its loggerhead with Iran over enrichment of Uranium materials

So: fossil fuels are plentiful, but harmful; renewable sources like wind are good for the climate but not plentiful. Solar power is plentiful but not cheap. Nuclear power is plentiful but not safe.

Improved technologies can offer a way out of this , but only if we think and act ahead. Like moving towards Hybrid cars or hydrogen fuelled cars but is still out of reach for majority of people and with current financial crisis many vehicle making companys will think twice before investing in such high capital ventures In Kenya we have trying to improve on our transport system moving towards high capacity cars and matatus/busues but this seems to hit a dead end as if government tries to implement high capacity buses common man will suffer as matatus will go on strike and common person will bear brunt of walking long distances

A method like Carbon capture and storage is proving very controversially as many people are not convinced that is safely captured and stored carbon can be well kept underground for a long time without causing unknown safety issues safe maybe their opposition could be linked to idea as disposal of harmful chemical elements under Ocean beds which have later destroyed marine life

” The idea is to “capture” the carbon dioxide that is emitted in power plants and other big factories when fossil fuels are burned, thereby preventing it from entering the atmosphere. The captured carbon is then pumped into underground storage sites such as empty oil fields and other suitable locations.Which we cant be implemented in Kenya due to heavy monies needed However we call upon all countries, both developed and developing to work in tandem where rich countries should help poor countries cover the financial costs of adjustment.

Plenty of carbon dioxide will be emitted into the atmosphere as the world’s climate negotiators fly to and from the Copenhagen meeting.
Let’s encourage governments to make serious commitments on Climate Change when they meet in Denmark

Also lobbyist should greatly make plenty of noise to ensure that any deaf government hears otherwise they will merely be adding to the problem.

Fact remains Gibson Amenya and Esther Kagendo cannot walk from Kenya to Denmark on foot just to avoid planes carbon emissions,We may die on journey or luck enough we may reach Copenhagen in year 2030 when already the meeting well finished in December 2009

However we shall do our part by lobbying and carrying out awareness campaigns both locally and globally for leaders and general populace to endorse measures that will enable control of Climate Change and its perils

Above article was written by
Gibson Amenya and Esther Kagendo, Members of Kenya Young Greens
Feedback email gamenya@kenyayounggreens.org, www.kenyayounggreens.org

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From: amenya gibson
Date: Thu, Aug 20, 2009 at 8:32 AM
Subject: Climate Change: The Kenyan Voice to Copenhagen Meeting In December, 2009