MAYA is concerned about the necessity to protect our environment for now and future use. There is no ‘Planet B’. No alternative Earth for us to live on. Deforestation and the continued use of fossil fuels have created climate change and will continue to do so unless there is a major response worldwide. In Africa we have very recently witnessed flooding which has killed nearly 500 people in Durban, South Africa and has affected Mozambique and our own flood-prone province of Manicaland as well as other parts of Zimbabwe. Yet further north in our continent, in Kenya, Uganda and Somalia, millions are facing drought and starvation this year. It is high time that regional bodies like SADC, COMESA and ECOWAS should invest in weather response mechanisms.
The planting of trees and soil conservation should be our greatest priority. Governments have played a constructive role in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic. There is no reason why they should not redirect that energy towards combatting climate change. African youth should be mobilised to take a lead in responding to the effects of deforestation, over-grazing and soil-erosion. If every community is involved in tree-planting (both of indigenous natural woodland and commercially useful trees), crop-rotation and controlled grazing through paddocking of livestock, we can conserve our soil and improve weather conditions as well as improving the livelihood of our people.
A clean environment and clean water is a human right that needs to be protected by both those in authority and the community at large. Animals and plants should be kept in balance and our children taught to understand scientifically and appreciate emotionally the world of which they are part. Interacting with the environment has a huge impact on mental health and nature has a way of refreshing the mind.
MAYA for environmental protection