Green Growth Needed To Reach Kenya's Goals - UN
Green Growth Needed To Reach Kenya's Development Goals -
UN Agency
An innovative United Nations atlas of Kenya using satellite images to pinpoint shrinking tea-growing areas, disappearing lakes, rising loss of tree cover and increased mosquito breeding grounds has highlighted the East African country's need to invest in 'green' development to escape from poverty.
The new 168-page publication, released today by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), shows how environmental degradation is thwarting the Kenya's current and future development opportunities.
Kenya's "Vision 2030" is a national development blueprint that takes into account challenges it faces, including youth unemployment and rapid urbanization, and seeks to meet targets such as sustained economic growth in the next two decades.
"Kenya: Atlas of Our Changing Environment," launched in Nairobi by the country's Environment Minister John Michuki and UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner, is the first of its kind to document environmental changes in a single country through satellite images from the past 30 years.
"It highlights some success stories of environmental management around the country, but it also puts the spotlight on major environmental challenges including deforestation, soil erosion and coastal degradation," the UNEP chief said.
He stressed that making the leap from poverty to prosperity will entail embarking on a green path to realize Kenya's development potential.
The new atlas' key findings
include:
ends