Causes, Impacts and Mitigation Measures to the Effects of Climate Change in Western Kenya.

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Causes, Impacts and Mitigation Measures to the Effects
of Climate Change in Western Kenya.
OSSREA National Policy Dialogue Workshop
held at Moi University 25th June 2015.
Rashid C.A Kawawa
Rose Opiyo
Masinde Muliro University of Science of Science
and Technology

Description of Western Kenya
Introduction
Causes of climate change
Impacts of climate change
Mitigation measures against effects of climate change
Outline

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Western Kenya. Kilimanjaro adventure(1996)

Temperature ranges between 80c and 350c
(Kenyaguide, 2015)
Coldest months-July and August.
Rainfall ranges between 500mm-2000mm pa.
Most rains come in April and May
However according to Kiefer & Busman, (2015), the
rains have become so much unpredictable.
Average temperature has risen by 0.780c (NAR, 2008)
One of the factors responsible for this variation is
climate change (UNEP,1992)
Description of Western Kenya

What is climate?
This is weather condition of a place averaged over a
long period of time.
What is climate change?
It is a lasting change in the statistical distribution of
weather patterns over along period of time.
Introduction

There are natural and human causes of climate
change.
Natural causes such as continental drift, volcanic
eruptions and earth tilts.
The natural causes are short-term(IPCC, 2007).
Human activities which result into emission of
greenhouse gases.
In western Kenya , well concentrate on human
causes.
Causes of climate change

Use of fossil fuel in industrial activities
Clearing of vegetation and forests to create room for
constructions
Consumerism.
High population in the region
All these contribute to increase in concentration of
greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
Causes of Climate Change
Human activities

Greenhouse gases are that absorb radiations
Examples are CO2, CH4,N2O etc.
Greenhouse gases can cause global warming .
Global warming changes the climate
Causes of Climate Change
Human Causes-what are greenhouse gases?

Human health
Extreme rainfall overwhelm sewer systems leading to
outbreak of waterborne diseases e.g. cholera (Patz et
al, 2005). Reported in Kericho County.
Most insect-vectored diseases e.g. malaria, yellow
fever, more prevalent in rainy season (WHO,2009)
Skin infections, case incidences have been reported in
Russia Hospital, Kisumu (NRC,2010).
Impact of climate change

Other complications
Warmer temperature stress immune system of
amphibians to fungal pathogen infection.
 Low temperature support severe outbreaks of plant
diseases (Harvell, et al, 2002), as seen in Kitale.
Elevated Co2 increases fecundity of pathogens
leading to high pathogen evolution (Chaklaboty et al,
2009)
Impact of climate change

Agricultural yield
Climate change is a threat to food security
Hardest hit regions are lake regions which already
suffer food shortages.
The yield of corn and beans may decline when temp
exceeds 290c and 300c (Schlenker, 2009)
High prices of food products.
Livestock production is also under threat (NRC,
2010) due to drought.
Impact of climate change

Delivery of ecosystem services
These are the benefits obtained from the ecosystem.
They include Provisioning, Regulating, Cultural,
Supporting services.
The ecosystems which provide these services include,
forests, wetlands etc.
Climate change has resulted into drying up and loss
of these ecosystem and the services they provide.
Example is Kawathgone wetland in Nyanza.
Impact of climate change

Use of renewable sources of energy e.g. solar energy.
Increase Co2 sequestration through planting of trees..
Environmental sustainable and friendly activities e.g.
bee keeping.
Mass Transportation.
Proper management of forests
Ensuring Sustainable Developments in the region.
Educate the mass on issues relating to environmental
conservation.
Mitigation measures

Conclusion
Prof. Wangari Maathai
‘You can’t protect the
environment unless you
empower people, you inform
them and help them
understand that these
resources are their own , and
they must protect them’ Prof.
Wangari Maathai

End
Thank you