Wangari Maathai campaigner: Protect trees and livelihood

Dec 1, 2007, 12:19 GMT

Nairobi - Forests are an integral part of many African lives, with small traders across the continent burning trees for charcoal to make a living.

But the increased dependence on charcoal for cooking and earning cash has threatened the continent's vast forests and opened the door to inevitable environmental consequences

Njogu Kahare has worked side by side with Nobel Peace Prize laureate Wangari Maathai for 17 years in the Green Belt Movement (GBM), an environmental non-governmental organization which is at the forefront of encouraging reforestation and tree planting in Africa.

Kahare spoke to Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa ahead of the UN climate change talks in Bali, Indonesia, about the challenges of spreading the word on global warming in Africa and the dangers of teaming up with the private sector in the fight against climate change.

DPA: How is GBM trying to raise more awareness about climate change in Africa?

Kahare: Raising awareness is difficult because people can't spare two days to sit and listen to you about climate change. If they do that, what will they eat tomorrow? We are making progress, but it's slow. We are raising awareness on the significance of forests, and the role they can play in people's livelihoods without necessarily destroying them.

DPA: Do you think the people on this continent realize the effect that deforestation and climate change can have on their lives?

Kahare: I think they are aware, but they are also a desperate people. If you don't cut that tree and burn and sell charcoal, your kid will not go to school. You have so few choices. I think this is where the bigger stakeholders like governments should give people alternatives, such as giving free primary school or secondary school so they have that choice.

DPA: Should the fight against climate change rest on Kyoto?

Kahare: Kyoto is a good mechanism because we don't have any other. But as all good things, it can be misused. It wasn't put there for personal gain. It was put there to make sure developing countries and developed countries are doing something about climate change. It was put there so that everybody can participate, but that clearly means we need a mechanism to supervise if people are participating properly, for the right reasons.

DPA: What would GBM like to see happen at the UN climate change talks in Bali?

Kahare: What we would like to see is more focus on the forest. Forests are a more long term solution to climate change. There are many poor people in many countries whose livelihoods are linked to these forests and therefore a lot of carbon dioxide is released because these forests are being destroyed as people try to make a living. We support any policy that helps people to link with the forest and sustainably meet their livelihood through forest resources without destroying the forest.

DPA: Do you think the private sector has a role to play in combating climate change?

Kahare: They have a role to play but they should not overemphasize the profits. Governments should not be driven by the profit. It should be driven by the welfare of the people, development and then climate change.

DPA: What is the significance of Wangari Maathai winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 and former US vice president Al Gore and the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change winning this year?

Kahare: The awareness is rising and many more people are getting serious about the environment and they know that it will definitely impact on many people. It is good that that is appreciated because in the end the destruction of the environment is done by people and if they are aware of that they will try to put measures in place to stop it.