Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 710997,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/710997/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 108,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Dido",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 2749,
        "legal_name": "Col (Rtd) Ali Rasso Dido",
        "slug": "col-rtd-ali-rasso-dido"
    },
    "content": "their own interests. The effect of climate change can be seen in reality even when you move around our country. We used to have long rains in April. We no longer get those rains. By October 15th we would have the short rains. That no longer happens. One of the major effects of climate change, if it is not mitigated, is conflict. Hon. Deputy Speaker, a few years ago in our country there was debate about saving the Mau and the five water towers in this country. Many took that as just simple politics, but today we see the effects of having saved the Mau and other water towers. That is why we are able to still grow food naturally in Rift Valley. The effect of the ultraviolet rays, the rising of skin cancer and all types of cancers and the pollution of water are some of the adverse effects we continue to experience. Most of its contributory effects are as a result of climate change and the effect of weather change that has affected most of our communities and areas in a big way. In the 1970s and 1980s when we began to have weather satellites, those were pointers and indicators to tell us some of the effects of some areas warming and temperatures rising. That is why some causative effects are things like tsunami, rising sea levels and flooding. Many areas that used to be inhabited are no longer inhabited because waters displace human dwelling. On the issue of forest cover, one of the things that we were advised as Kenyans from the 1970s is to try and retain a 10 per cent forest cover, but our forest cover is much below that percentage. Recently, we visited Berlin and what is very interesting is that every tree planted in the City of Berlin is numbered and it is put on computer. If that tree is felled, then it is known that tree number “X” on this street has been felled. That is the sort of scientific attempt particularly in terms of managing our environment that we need. This Agreement also puts in place a nationally-determined contribution, where countries are told you move at your pace; you are not coerced; and, you must do what is in the best interest of your country in managing and mitigating the adverse effects of climate change. If you go to countries like the UK or most parts of Europe, you will find that every year, if you own a car, you take what is called “MOT” so that the exhaust is measured to find out how much it damages the environment. If it passes certain limits, that car is pulled off the road. It does not matter how old it is if it is not efficient, particularly for driving on the roads - not necessarily mechanically serviceable - but in mitigating its effects on the environment. Hon. Deputy Speaker, we are looking at Kenya to be a middle-income country by 2020. What does that call for? Kenya must industrialise. To industrialise, one of the things we need is energy. Are we considering what energy we are to use if we are to be very careful about our environment? Members who have spoken have talked about clean energy. That includes wind, solar, hydro and any kind of energy that is safe to the environment. We are also seeing in Kenya attempts to look at coal as an alternative energy. The Europeans moved away from coal in the 1970s and 1980s because of its effects on the environment. Are we going back or forward? It is one of the things we must look at. On the greenhouse gas inventory reporting, I think this is where the world must look at fairness and equity. The West might attempt to underreport so that countries like Kenya, the developing countries, do not get in that index of development. I like the submission by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources. I think they have clearly told us what advantage is in us ratifying this Agreement. With those remarks, I beg to support."
}