On Friday 28th June 2019, France recorded its hottest ever temperature of 44.3 degrees Celcius as the rest of Europe sweltered in an early summer heat wave that has already claimed several lives. A number of Countries like Spain, Germany ,Italy and parts of Central Europe and North Africa have already fallen victim to this the heat wave Infact Teams participating in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt hve already complained about the current heat wave and CAF – the organisers have given teams a 5 minutes Water break during each match for players to quench off their thirst
This is real Climate Change knocking on our door steps. It should be noted that this is not the first time Europe is experiencing this problem . In August 2003, the devastating Heat wave killed nearly 15,000 people many of them elderly people at home in Europe, and by that time temperatures were just 44.1 degrees Celsius and experts have already warned of more serious catastrophes with weather forecaster Mateo – France predicting that temperatures are likely to climb and pass 44 degrees Celsius.
The Heatwave is an eye opener that we need to go back to the drawing board and draw strategies that will tackle the situation. Ive argued before that protests alone aren’t going to solve the problem, because we are also the change that we need to see. We need a combination of both protests and practical Activism. Just imagine if we had planted 3 million in each European country in 2003. We would be having 153,000,000 million trees today in Europe alone. These would be 19 years old , pretty tall and would have a cooling, all factors constant. Assuming we had 2000 protestors this Friday on the streets of major cities worldwide. We could plant 2000 trees in our towns and thereafter go protest on the streets for better policies. Next Friday we could do the same but this time round we would also come back with water to irrigate the ones we planted previously. We would take action whilst demanding for action from the governments. It shouldn’t be forgotten that we ourselves make up the Government. We should be the change we want to see because it starts with us. We therefore need to go back on the drawing Board and plan for a better strategy of tackling Climate Change. The slower we get, the more pronounced the problem becomes.
Protests are based on the premise that Governments hold the key to implementation of better policies and better Environmental Stewardship which is very right. But we shouldn’t forget that the implementation of such policies are constrained by redtape bureauracy and are bound to take time to get effected yet what we are seeking for is ,urgent Climate Action. Its therefore prudent that we use our youthfulness to act with vigour because we are part and percel of Government. Let governments play their role, but lets also do more implementation. Lets be stewards of our own Environment, starting from our own communities. Lets plant our own trees, lets set own tree Nurseries and take on Climate Change. This way we shall win the battle against the biggest threat of our lives – Climate Change. Be the Change. It starts with you.
By
Kiwalabye Ronald
Kiwalabye Ronald is a Climate Change Activist, an Environmentalist and Director of The Schools Tree Project
Email: ronkiwalabye@gmail.com
