Trees and other vegetation cover act as carbon sinks: they absorb carbon dioxide as a raw material for photosynthetic processes. Deforestation therefore disrupts this carbon intake and leads to more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, leading to greenhouse warming.
amount of GHGs emitted into the atmosphere. These are: the burning of fossil fuels (petrol, coal, natural gas and biomass), ozone layer depletion, deforestation and some industrial processes. Natural processes such as volcanic eruptions, landfills and decaying animals and plants also release GHGs.
Ozone layer depletion is caused by high levels of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) used as coolants in air-conditioners and refrigerators. CFCs are also used as aerosol propellants in fire extinguishers and jet fuels. The ozone layer protects us from harmful, high-energy ultraviolet light from the sun, so its depletion allows these energy rays to reach and cause heating of the Earth with damage to living organisms and skin cancers in humans.
Most of the greenhouse emissions are generated in the industrialized and developed countries while most of the extreme effects of climate change are felt in the developing countries.
In this regard, there is an
emergency for all countries to fight climate change through the control of greenhouse emissions in their development agenda. This means that the Northern and Southern economies have to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels. This must be done if sustainable development and the Millennium Development Goals are to be realized, and in order to save planet Earth and future generations.
Climate change concerns in Kenya
Every part of the globe has experienced suffering caused by the effects of the changing climate. This has served as a unifying and driving force for concerted international action on climate change. In 1988, the IPCC was created by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) to provide leadership in the assessment of the scientific knowledge and information on
The Parliamentarian | 2010: Issue Three - Kenya | 15
Opposite page and above: Climate change has led to the recession of glaciers on Mount Kenya (above) and Mount Kilimanjaro (opposite page) just over the border in Tanzania. Left: Flooding submerges a forest.