How Civil Society can standup, demand climate action. Civil Society Organizations unite and speak as one strong voice. Raise awareness for poverty – oriented adaptation and mitigation.
Civil society has a crucial role to play in protecting and conserving the environment. It is the duty of every individual to take responsibility for their actions and to work towards a sustainable future. Environmental responsibility is the duty that individuals have to protect the environment, which often means taking action either to reduce our impacts on the environment or even reverse previous harm.
The United Nations recognizes the importance of civil society in environmental protection. In October 2021, the UN Human Rights Council passed a resolution recognizing access to a healthy and sustainable environment as a universal right. The text also calls on countries to work together, and with other partners, to implement this breakthrough. This recognition is important because it acknowledges the role of civil society in environmental protection and encourages individuals to take action to protect the environment.
In Kenya, the Constitution recognizes the duty of every person to cooperate with State organs and other persons to protect and conserve the environment and ensure ecologically sustainable development and use of natural resources. This duty is in line with the State’s obligation to ensure sustainable exploitation, utilization, management, and conservation of the environment and natural resources, and ensure the equitable sharing of the accruing benefits.
To fulfill this duty, civil society can take various measures to protect and conserve the environment. These measures include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Promoting sustainable exploitation, utilization, management, and conservation of the environment and natural resources: This involves ensuring that we use natural resources in a responsible and sustainable manner, and that we protect and conserve the environment for future generations.
- Encouraging public participation in the management, protection, and conservation of the environment: This measure helps to ensure that we work together to protect and conserve the environment and natural resources.
- Establishing systems of environmental impact assessment, environmental audit, and monitoring of the environment: This measure helps to ensure that we are aware of the impact of our actions on the environment and natural resources.
- Eliminating processes and activities that are likely to endanger the environment: This measure helps to ensure that we protect and conserve the environment and natural resources.
- Utilizing the environment and natural resources for the benefit of the people of Kenya: This measure involves ensuring that we use natural resources in a responsible and sustainable manner, and that we protect and conserve the environment for future generations.
In conclusion, civil society has a duty to protect and conserve the environment. This duty requires us to be mindful of our actions and their impact on the environment, and to work together to protect and conserve our natural resources for future generations.