By Mercy Mumo
Climate change is the
greatest threat facing humanity. The demand for energy has become too high with
less regard on its effects on the environment. The youth have also been involved
in creating awareness on climate change matters. Recently, a documentary dubbed
Climate: Change the Conversation, premiered at the Alliance Francaise
Auditorium in Nairobi on 11 November 2015.
Produced with the support
of UNESCO, the French Embassy and the Embassy of Germany among other partners,
the documentary combines music; spoken word, art and powerful narrative aimed
at focusing the public on the negative impacts of climate change and calling
everybody to do their part. It puts youth at the centre of those who stand to
lose the most and whose urgent involvement in responding to threats posed by
climate change is critical.
The young have been seen
taking measures to mitigate climate change by planting trees, not littering the
environment and conserving water. For instance, pupils from St. Georges Primary
School in Nairobi are featured in the documentary demonstrating how they have
been engaged in planting trees around the school.
From the welcome remarks
made at the premiere, introducing climate change as a subject in the school
curriculum was deemed important as well as raising awareness about the
challenges and risks of climate change using art.
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| Some dignitaries during the documentary premiere.Photo:Mercy Mumo |
Kenyans spend more on
electricity than they should through vampire drains. Kenya Power, which is responsible
for the transmission, distribution, and retail of electricity throughout the
country, through its tips on energy saving measures, stipulates that it is
advisable that electronic devices be unplugged when not in use.
This can save up to 50
percent on energy consumed. Another interesting fact highlighted at the
screening was that cement is the second most consumed commodity after water yet
little has been done on sensitizing its manufacturers on the production effects
on the environment.
The documentary, which is
a French-German cultural project, is geared at showcasing how each one of us
has a role to play in protecting the environment while spreading the climate
change message.
The documentary depicts
how various climate change factors have changed food production, rainfall
patterns, and the overall environment. Various governmental and
non-governmental stakeholders who manage various climate change projects
attended the screening.
Cultural specialist at
UNESCO and Chief Operations Officer at Trust for African Rock Art Mr. Terry
Little noted that many people still do not understand climate change. “To
increase awareness, we have to keep sensitizing people through simplified
messages on climate change and embrace art in the process of relaying the climate
change message,” said Mr. Little.
He emphasized on the
immediate need of taking responsibility of the environment by making sound
choices on the environment; corrective action which can be achieved by adding
our voices and sharing knowledge on climate change.
Ambassador of France to
Kenya Rémi Maréchaux who graced the documentary screening noted that in the
energy transition, Kenya has a big role to play in creating awareness on
adoption of renewable energy as a climate change mitigation measure.
“People need to be
sensitized on the reality of saving money through use of renewable energy while
at the same time placing emphasis that green energy is indeed profitable,”
averred the French Ambassador adding: “In order to reverse the negative effects
of climate change, we have to go renewable.”
At the event was also the
Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Kenya Mrs Jutta Frasch who
touched on how reduction of energy waste can be achieved. “In Nairobi, a lot of
energy is wasted in traffic which could be improved by modern systems of
traffic or enhancement of the public transport sector,” she said.
The German Ambassador
also added that every one of us could contribute to protecting the environment
on a small scale. “It starts with little things like throwing plastic bottles
in a dust bin and not on the road where plastic blocks drainage systems.”
The overall message of
the documentary is for people to understand the meaning of climate change and
act responsibly.
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