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RESOURCE DEPLETION |
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by Yvonne Wabai | 22-07-2017 23:39
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N.B. LINKS ARE PROVIDED WITHIN THE TEXT. INTRODUCTION Resource depletion is the usage of resources faster than they can be replaced. It is an aspect of unsustainability linked to over-exploitation of resources. This report will focus on resource depletion in Kenya. CAUSES OF OVER-EXPLOITATION OF RESOURCES IN KENYA 1. Over-population. Contrary to popular belief, over-population simple doesn't mean that there are too many people. Instead, it means that there are more people than the resources needed to support them. Because it is perceived that there are more opportunities in urban areas, there has been a trend of rural-to-urban migration for years now. This leads to cities and major towns being over-populated, meaning that resources in those areas have to be stretched in order to accommodate everyone. Additionally, there is a trend of high population growth rate, especially in rural areas, due to cultural beliefs and lack of access to reproductive education. 2. Over-consumption. The saying 'save it for a rainy day' comes to mind here. Over-consumption may not be looked at as a problem by itself, but coupled with unsustainability, an obvious problem ensues. In Kenya, over-consumption is mostly as a result of lack of awareness. 3. Inefficient use of resources. This is most commonly seen in food and water. The major challenge here is to efgiciently get the resources where they are needed most while making them affordable at the same time, thereby making them accessible. The major hindrance to this is corruption, followed by lack of public awareness. For example, we are facing a food crisis and we imported maize from Mexico (in a very questionable manner), not because our silos were empty, no, but because the entire produce in the silos got contact, intend as a result of the embezzlement of the funds dedicated to keep the produce free from contamination. Another example is the current water crisis that I've talked much about. The predicament could have easily been avoided by choosing proactive and preventative approaches over reactive measures. 4. Poverty. Studies have shown that poverty and environmental deterioration are linked. However, the relationship between the two is not that simple. Environmental deterioration can cause poverty and poverty can cause environmental deterioration. Amongst the poor population of Kenya, access to quality environmental education, and any quality education at all, is rather limited. This means that there is a lack of environmental awareness in that part of the population. On the other hand, amongst the middle-class population, environmental deterioration is a contributing factor is their empty pockets. This is because the cost of living has been increasing greatly, and a big part of this increment is due to our current environmental predicament. In fact, the only people who do not seem geatly affected by it are the affluent. So on on hand, we have environmental issues such as pollution arising from poverty, and on the other hand, we have environmental issues such as food/water crisis causing poverty. 5. Ineffective structures. Institutions and regulations dealing with Kenya's environmental issues have largely been inefficient. This inefficience is mostly due to corruption and lack of public awareness, amongst other reasons. A good example is the banning of plastic bags in Kenya. The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources announced this year in gazette notice number 2356 that they had banned the use, manufacture, and importation of plastic bags. This is about the thirds time that this law has been introduced and its previous failures have been because of lack of public awareness. In previous times, the law has been met by an uproar from the public who were acting on biased information presented to them by parties who did not want the ban to be put in place. Another example is deforestation. Even though there are plenty of laws against it, deforestation continues to be a widespread practice. IMPACT OF RESOURCE DEPLETION IN KENYA. 1. Negative economic growth due to inadequate resources. This affects all sectors of our economy, including agriculture, tourism, forestry, fishing, mining and minerals, energy, and financial services. 2. Loss of water catchment areas and desertification as a result of deforestation. This leads to water shortages which in turn leads to food shortages and energy shortages - because most of our energy is from hydropower. 3. Human-wildlife conflict due to wildlife losing their natural habitat as a result of deforestation and humans encroaching on wildlife territory. 4. Loss of marine biodiversity and ecosystems due to overfishing. 5. Coastal degradation. 6. Loss of land for agriculture due to plastic land pollution and other forms of land pollution. 7. Water shortages as a result of water pollution. 8. Soil erosion as a result of deforestation. 9. Declining mineral supplies. 10. Formation of sinkholes due to mining. 11. Soil and water contamination due to mining. This causes adverse health effects in plants, animals, and people. 12. Ozone depletion as a result of the production of greenhouse gases. MEASURES TAKEN TO DEAL WITH RESOURCE DEPLETION. 1. Enforcing environmental laws to discourage practices harmful to the environment. For example: laws against industrial pollution and personal pollution such as the plastic bag ban, laws against deforestation, laws against overfishing, laws against illegal water and electricity tapping etc. 2. Creating public awareness on environmental issues by introducing environmental studies in the various curriculums and through various online and offline government/NGO campaigns. 3. Encouraging people to partake in positive environmental practices. An example is the recent solar panel law that requires poperate developers to install and use solar water heating systems. The law was put into effect together with a zero-rating of import duty and removal of value added tax on renewable energy equipment. 4. Encouraging companies to go green and encouraging green business ventures. 5. Encouraging reforestation and forestation efforts. 7. Fighting corruption, although this hasn't been successful so far. |
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11 Comments
thanks for sharing.
Posted 03-02-2018 18:51
we have to preserve it for future generation
Posted 03-02-2018 18:51
tough for survival
Posted 03-02-2018 18:50
Yvonne, thank you for your report. I find the causes of the depletion in Kenya very instructive. Especially the fact that poverty could be linked to environmental issues was very interesting. So are the measures being effective? If not could you tell us why?
Posted 01-08-2017 15:39
Hi Yvonne! Thanks for sharing great report on resource depletion in Kenya.
Your report helped me understanding major causes of resource depletion in your countries and what should be done to address this issue. Thanks again for informative report!
Posted 31-07-2017 18:42
Thanks for sharing a well structured report Yvonne. As Arushi also pointed out, the reasons for resource depletion are more or less the same in different settings and different regions. International collaboration towards minimising waste and extraction of resources, is the need of the hour.
Another point I want to raise is about all of us (including me) having cited over population as one of the main causes of resource depletion. On second though I believe that it is infact our consumerist societies and how we manage over population, that is questionable rather than over population itself.
Posted 28-07-2017 14:46
Thank you for the report along with cause and measures taken to reduce resource depletion :)
Posted 25-07-2017 20:15
In Ukraine, too, great problems with corruption. It is a pity that so far have not introduced a ban on plastic bags :(
Posted 24-07-2017 14:34
Hi Yvonne,
This is a detailed report and I must commend you for the way it is split into detailed sections making it easier to read.
Coming to your report, I have always known Kenya for its diversity of wildlife - it would be a shame if we lose all that to resource depletion. As you rightly pointed out in the measures to mitigate this, in my opinion, those measures should be implemented keenly without fear or favor. The world can handle everyone's need but not our greed.
Posted 23-07-2017 21:47
Just like anywhere else, the factors causing resource depletion in Kenya are also the same, over population, over consumption etc. and there is no denying the fact that such a depletion has an adverse impact on the economy, environment and human health.
It may seem like there is nothing we can do as an individual to stop the factors that are depleting our natural resources. But we can do a lot. If every person contributed to the conservation of our natural resources and reducing their CO2 emissions footprint, we can make a difference. I agree with you that there is a need to enforce strict laws and policies to control resource depletion.
I really appreciate your well-organised report with complete details regarding resource depletion in Kenya.
Posted 23-07-2017 01:38
I apologise for uploading my report late. I had some problems with my network connection.
Posted 22-07-2017 23:52