Article 6
From ICVWiki
UNISDR Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, Interview with: Mr. Ibrahim Thiaw, Director, Division of Environmental Policy Implementation, Nairobi, Kenya
Conducted by: Mr. James McBrien, ICVolunteers’ Reporter
Q: Mr. Thiaw, what is the importance of watershed management for you in Nairobi, Kenya?
A: The United Nations Environment Program is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya and has a global reach so our focus is not just on Kenya. In our programs we are concerned about watershed management and rivers because they are the key to human well-being. All civilization can be found next to water points and rivers. The challenge that we are facing is with the footprints that we have on our eco-systems and our environment. We are contributing to destroying these rivers that are the basis of our development and human well-being. For example, with our lifestyles and our needs as human beings we are producing more and more waste water and we are unable, as a community, to manage that properly at the moment. So what we do is that we treat a small proportion of that water. “Up to 3 billion cubic meters of waste water daily is produced by us as human beings.” Only a very small proportion of that water is treated at the moment and essentially that treatment is only occurring in the developed countries. The rest is disposed of and can go into rivers, lakes, etc… and can end up in coastal areas. That, then, is creating huge pollution problems in those areas and many of the coastal areas that we have been enjoying over years are no longer viable for fish and all kinds of bio-diversity. These areas are no longer accessible for our leisure or basic needs.
Q: How much coastal area has been affected by pollution, population growth and increased industrialization?
Up to 450 square kilometers of coastal area from around the world are now classified as “dead zones.” These are areas that have been polluted so much that there is no longer oxygen in those waters and life is impossible. No fish can be found and no microorganisms are there so the communities living next to these areas have to migrate because they cannot live there anymore.
Q: Where is the concentration for these affected coastal areas or “dead zones?”
A: Essentially, “dead zones” around developed countries because that is where the pollution is the most visible. “We expect to see more dead zones around Asian regions due to the size of the populations and industrial growth.” Awareness of this issue is critically important for the local communities especially those that are the most vulnerable. It is also a key problem for tourism because many tourist areas are no longer available for use. You can no longer go there because of a proliferation of species , an invasion of species or such bad pollution the you will be prevented from enjoying these beaches. You will not be able to fish in these tourist locations because the fish will no longer be viable for consumption. “This is the fundamental problem that we have to solve because it is one we have created ourselves.” These can be considered man-made disasters and we have the technology exists today to solve these issues.
Q: What type of technology is available to solve these issues? A: “In some cases, existing lakes or rivers can be used to treat the pollution up to a certain level or new technologies can be used.” That is part of what we call the “green economy” where you make good use out of wastes. For example, water can be treated and reused for agriculture. They may not be of standards for direct water consumption but they can be acceptable for industry or irrigation. It is especially feasible in developed countries. “It is a matter of policy and good will for governments to recognize the need to invest a little bit of money to save large ecosystem services that they have been using for millennium and for which their communities are going to suffer.” It is important for us to manage watersheds and make sure that all the services that the environment has been generating for us are maintained. In some cases we have made it so bad that we need to take action to correct it.
Q: Along with the growing population and increased industrialization does overfishing play a part is the coastal problems as well?
A: Overfishing can be associated with this but it is a separate point. Our needs as human beings are surpassing the capacity of our oceans to reproduce. “Of course, if you have the drivers like pollution you are exacerbating the problem because the environment is no longer in a position to regenerate and for the fish to reproduce and grow.” According to recent statistics we have had the lowest number of fish caught ever. “This is a signal.” The needs are growing but the production is shrinking.
Q: Do we have the financial wherewithal to correct these issues or are they just going to continue?
A: “We have no choice but to correct this situation. It is not either or. It is vital.” What is important is to have clear policies at the global, national, regional and local level and also have good cooperation amongst member states. Most of the time, these fish are caught in international areas which is beyond the national jurisdiction. Who is going to be there to control and enforce the law?
Q: Is the private sector helping or hindering the situation? Are they making positive steps of just continuing to create pollution? You have everything. You cannot classify the private sector as all good or all bad. You have some companies in the private sector that are doing what they can to improve the situation but only under certain circumstances “because there is competition and they like their revenues.” Some companies are still problematic but we know that the situation is wrong. Have you seen an area in the world where there have been positive changes?
A: There are very good signals where companies are declaring “no go zones” on their own including in international waters. There are some areas of positive development but there are still some concerns. For instance, you can see “tons of plastic soup” in our oceans and this, again, is a man-made disaster. With the marine currents you have some places, including in the United States, where it is a big problem. These plastics are not necessarily produced in the United States but due to the marine currents they end up as gigantic locations of very bad deposits. Along with maritime transport and cities dumping waste into the seas it is “something horrific.”
Returning to the message of this conference, everybody has climate change in mind at the moment. There is absolutely no doubt that climate change is one of the major factors contributing to natural but not all disasters can be attributed to climate change. Some disasters are natural and others are man-made. What is important is to have good preparation for countries to react to these disasters, to respond in an organized manner and to plan for long term recovery. “This is critical.” In most of the developed countries you have the capacity to do that but in most developing countries there is nothing. If lucky these countries and communities may have a good firefighting service but the capacity to have a real, organized system to respond to disasters are not there yet. That is a big challenge and we are seeing an increase in major disasters. Some of these disasters can be attributed to climate change and others not but they are occurring every day and “it’s just frightening.”
When it comes to watersheds, oceans, rivers and man-made disasters is there something that the average person can do to improve the situation and prevent future disasters in these areas?
A: “Yes. The layman in the street is of water. They have a voice. They have a vote and they can influence the policy makers. That is the most powerful position one can have.” That is extremely important. If you are conscious of the problem, you want to react and you are organized you can change make your voice heard. “Policy makers and politicians listen to their electors and that is most powerful position that you can be in.” You can be even more powerful than the policy makers themselves. Also, as citizens we can do a lot “because it is the collection of our individual actions that makes the difference. If you say, ‘I can do nothing,’ then no one can do anything and nothing will happen.” So you can do things in your schools, within your families, within your office and your companies. “Everyone has a role to play and there is no single person in the world that has the responsibility. It is all of us.”
