Zeitschrift für Biodiversitätsmanagement und Forstwirtschaft

Recourse to Religion: A Way to Environmental Preservation in Kenya

Ephraim Otieno Ochieng

This article intends to be part of the worldwide call to the environmental preservation that is on-going throughout the globe. World leaders have been meeting to find a way forward to the environmental catastrophes that are common today. A pioneer in this movement has been The Rio Earth Summit which was held in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Since then, world leaders have been meeting annually to discuss environmental issues. The 2015 Paris Agreement saw over 200 leaders convene to find a way forward to the challenges faced as a result of the environmental degradation.
Today, people are faced with global environmental deteriorations. The environment has been affected by human actions, which in turn have made the environment hostile. Thus today the world is experiencing global warming. Climate scientists have informed the world on the major causes of environmental degradation. This degradation has led to global warming, which has caused the climatic changes that are being experienced in worldwide today. In Kenya, environmental problems have seen the migration of the flamingos from Lake Nakuru, the reduction of water levels in Lake Victoria, prolonged drought experienced in many parts of the country, among others. Various mechanisms have been adopted to secure the environment such as the ban on charcoal burning and illegal logging of trees. However, such have not been effective.
Religion is one of the most influential institutions in the world. Kenya is a country that has majority of its population adhering to various religious groups. Religious ideas have greatly shaped the country in many ways. If its influence could be transformed to help conserve the environment in Kenya this would be a great endeavor. The traditional African religion has been effective in helping people to respect and conserve environment. This has been done through riddles, folktales, taboos, and customs. The article therefore intends to appeal to religious institutions in Kenya to be part of the solutions to the environmental problems experienced in the contemporary Kenya.