President Uhuru Kenyatta during the 3rd UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) at Gigiri in Nairobi, December 5, 2017. [Photo|PSCU]President Uhuru Kenyatta attended the 3rd UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) at Gigiri in Nairobi where he read the following speech on Tuesday."The world gathers here today because we have learnt an expensive lesson: unless our environmental riches are protected by all, there can be no lasting prosperity for any of us. We in Kenya have learnt this lesson and have been taking appropriate mitigating actions. Let me say a few words about what we in Kenya have done. Some months ago, we banned the manufacture, sale, or use of plastic carrier bags. The ban was backed by fairly severe measures, as one might expect, given the gravity of pollution by plastics in this region’s land, air, water, and marine ecosystems. The ban may seem only a small step. In fact, it has already cut plastic pollution substantially. Equally important has been its positive effect on public opinion. That the ban has held is proof that we do not have to give in to pollution: public action can make a difference. If citizens can work with their governments to end such a ubiquitous source of pollution, then they can move on to even bigger, more demanding targets. We now know that maintaining high levels of ambition in fighting pollution is an achievable and positive undertaking."

Share news tips with us here at Hivisasa