Environmental State of Kenya

Kenya’s main environmental issues consist of water pollution from urban and industrial wastes, degradation of water quality from increased use of pesticides and fertilizers, deforestation, soil erosion, desertification, and threats to wildlife population due to poaching. These issues must be fixed in order for Kenya’s growth and prosperity to increase. 

Air and water quality pose a huge problem for Kenya’s development. As of today only 59% of Kenya’s population have access to clean drinking water, and 32% have access to safe sanitation. (Water.org, 2016) Disease and other complications with health have been major consequences of air and water pollution. Diarrhea has been a major concern within the population that lacks safe sanitation and drinking water. As of today 2 million individuals are affected by air quality in Kenya. Urban air pollution is attributed mainly to motor vehicles. It is estimated that 90% of all urban air pollution is caused by motor vehicles. (Kinney, 2011) This heavy pollution of the air contributes to many health risks such as increased risk of asthma attacks, heart disease, and lung cancer. At this point in time Kenya lacks the ability to keep a consistent track of their air pollution. By not recognizing the harsh effects of air pollution they will lack the ability to fix this problem. Water scarcity and air and water quality are all issues that Kenya must fix in the foreseeable future in order to provide the population with a safe living space.

Deforestation and desertification are huge issues within Kenya. Deforestation is the clearing of the forest of trees usually for human usage, while desertification is the decrease in plant life and topsoil around desert boundaries. Desertification and deforestation are usually both a result of overexploitation of the ecosystem by humans. In 2010 deforestation deprived Kenya’s economy of 5.8 billion shillings. (UNEP, 2011) The continued deforestation is due to the lack of regulations and laws. Because fuel wood and charcoal are main energy sources many of the problems are a result of personal consumption of these resources. (UNEP, 2011) As a result of deforestation an accumulation of problems occur such as increased water flows during rainy season, which in turn results in soil erosion and sedimentation. Desertification on the other hand is a result of a lack of commitment to keep the encroachment of the desert at a minimum. Due to deforestation desertification has become a problem. This will affect millions of Kenya’s citizens if no one takes action to address the issue. In 2002 Kenya’s forest cover only accounted for just 2.8% of total land area. (reliefweb.int, 2002) As a result of Kenya’s imbalance between arable land and population growth desertification continues to cause its fragile ecosystem problems. (reliefweb.int,2002) Both of these issues can cause ongoing devastating problems for the ecosystem. It is up to the government to call for a stop to the illegal deforestation and overexploitation of the land.

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