By KPC Reporter
The Green Congress of Kenya (GCK) has warned that accelerating environmental degradation threatens livelihoods and ecosystems, urging urgent action from government, communities, and businesses.
In a statement released on Friday, GCK said Kenya’s rich environmental heritage is under unprecedented pressure from deforestation, land degradation, pollution, and climate change.
Also Read
“Kenya is a land of extraordinary beauty,” the statement signed by Party Leader Hillary Alila said.
“From the shores of Lake Victoria to the forests of Mount Kenya, from the Rift Valley floor to the coastal mangroves of the Indian Ocean, our nation has been endowed with ecological wealth that generations before us nurtured and protected. That inheritance is now under serious threat.”
Released on the World Environment Day, the statement noted that environmental destruction is no longer an abstract concern but a daily reality affecting millions of Kenyans.
According to GCK, communities are already experiencing the effects of changing weather patterns, prolonged droughts, destructive floods, shrinking forests, and declining agricultural productivity.
“We are witnessing the rapid degradation of our soils, the destruction of our forests, the silting of our rivers, and the displacement of communities,” the statement read.
“Climate change is no longer a distant warning. It is a present reality being felt by farmers in Homa Bay, fishermen on Lake Victoria, and families all along the Indian Ocean coast.”
The party emphasized that environmental protection should not be viewed as a political issue but as a matter of national survival.
“The environment is not a political issue—it is a survival issue,” GCK stated. “It is the foundation upon which food security, public health, economic prosperity, and national dignity are built.”
The appeal comes at a time when Kenya, like many countries across Africa, continues to grapple with the effects of climate change. Recent years have seen cycles of severe drought followed by devastating floods that have displaced thousands, destroyed infrastructure, and threatened livelihoods in several counties.
GCK called on the National Government to fast-track climate legislation, enforce environmental laws, and invest in green infrastructure that creates jobs while restoring degraded ecosystems.
County governments were urged to prioritize environmental protection in development planning, while citizens were encouraged to plant trees, safeguard water catchment areas, and reject destructive practices such as illegal charcoal burning.
Allia reaffirmed the party’s commitment to championing policies that place environmental conservation at the center of Kenya’s development agenda.
“The earth does not belong to us. We belong to it,” Allia said, urging Kenyans to act collectively to secure a sustainable future for coming generations.
