Why the environment is tied to livelihoods
The Almighty God did a wonderful job in six days and rested the seventh day as stipulated in the Holy Scriptures. God created the world that possesses dry land; water bodies such as lakes, dams, rivers and wetlands but also the Oceans and Seas. Additionally, God the creator, positioned forests above the land composing different types of tree species and other natural vegetation; and below the ground placed various minerals including different types of soils. The Oceans are a home for various types of fisheries and other living creatures and other matters like coral reeves and mangrove species. The atmosphere is composed of various gases for instance nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide (gesiukaa). In nutshell, all of these form the Natural Environment created by God for the benefits of human and the wildlife. Under any circumstances, I’m compelled to thank and honour the Almighty God for the wonderful creations completed in six days including the human-beings created in his image. The Almighty God became amused with the creations and placed the first humans; Adam and Hawa to manage and control all the resources above and below the ground; in water and the oceans and in the atmosphere
In 2017, Pope Francisco of Assisi issued a “Pastoral Letter” known as “LAUDATO SI”. Through this invaluable initiative, the world was cautioned about the importance of natural environment for our wellbeing. The Pope clearly indicated that “natural environment is like the sister who devotes her life for others and like a good mother stretching her arms to safeguard us”. Despite that, the state of environment worldwide, as of today, is not good as it used to be more than fifty years ago. Although the general tendency is to associate population explosion with environmental destruction; experiences indicate that it is mainly due to unsustainable utilization of natural resources including also poor farming and animal husbandry practices (not living friendly with the environment). It is true, globally population is increasing (now about 7 billion people) however, and this is used as kind of camouflage to continue the habits of destroying the natural environmental base in the context of fighting poverty and hunger. Nevertheless, in doing so without bothering to seriously care about the natural environment, we generate weaknesses in the ecological systems thereby endangering our livelihoods and survival of other flora and fauna species.
Pope Francisco’s “LAUDATO SI” of 2017 reminded our mandatory duty to protect the environment and emphasized that land in our natural mother producing beautiful and flowering plants for the good of humans and other creatures. This demonstrated that if the natural environment shall be sustained, all the time, we shall continue breathing fresh oxygen, and getting food, water and required rains during the rainy seasons. However, based on the realities in Tanzania, “natural environment” has been seriously destroyed leading to high rates of forest and land degradations hence the environment, instead of caring us, is observed to fight back. The environmental situation is also not appealing in the developed nations due to frequent occurrences of natural disasters. This is an indication that the state of environment in developed countries has been worsening (due to global-warming associated with climate change) since the industrial revolution era.
While Tanzania is affected by impacts of climate change like droughts or floods including rainfall during January and February 2020, leaves a lot to be desired. Again heavy rains during these months are very unusual particularly for the two rainy seasons (bimodal) regions. On the same footing developed countries continue facing disasters like unpredictable tsunamis and tornadoes including disastrous fires like that erupted in Australia during January 2020 destroyed forests and caused loss to properties.
Significant increase in industrial activities for the purposes of establishing strong economic base has led to ecological disorders due to increased quantities of CO2 into the atmosphere leading to increasing global warming and climate change. Since 1992 heads of states and governments, who are members of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Changes (UNFCCC), together with global experts on climate change; have been meeting annually looking for amicable solutions against impacts of global warming and climate change yet it is 27 years in a row but no solution reached. Again, Pope Francisco through “LAUDATO SI” warmed the world that “nothing in the world that does not have links to human-beings”. Based on that view, global warning and climate change are challenges faced by all countries despite the state of development reached. The world is faced with increasing environmental pollution and critical destruction of natural forests and woodlands. Hence it is the responsibility of all countries making sure that global warming and impacts of climate change are highly contained for the good of all.
All countries should endeavour to control economic activities that are likely to accelerate global warning in excess of 2o Celsius annually. Together we should struggle to make our economies more responsible by using climate friendly sources of energy like hydropower, wind or geothermal. Additionally, human activities that endanger environmental stability like farming up-to edges of river banks and establishing habitats in floods’ vulnerable areas including wildlife corridors should be avoided. Furthermore, environmental education is emphasized in schools and colleges as well as to the society and general public as a whole. What is needed is sustainable farming practices and livestock husbandry while maintaining the environment green (conservation farming and livestock keeping practices).
In principle the need is to have positive changes in perceptions and behaviours to environment, which is there to safeguard our wellbeing.
Dr Felician Kilahama is the Chairman, Wildlife Conservation Society of Tanzania (WCST)
