Andrea Sanz Yus |
Nairobi (EFE).- For the Kenyan environmentalist Wanjira Mathai -daughter of the first African woman to win a Nobel Peace Prize (2004), the activist Wangari Maathai- it is normal that environmental movements are growing in Africa because that respect for nature is in the DNA of its people.
“Without a doubt there is a very high environmental awareness. But I also want to say that Africans, in our cultural traditions, have always been very ecological. In my own culture, the Kikuyu, we lived inspired by nature, which was the source of everything good,” Mathai told EFE in a telephone interview.
The 51-year-old activist now keeps alive the legacy of her mother, a tireless fighter for the conservation of forests and the environment who died in 2011, and collaborates in different projects and organizations to mitigate the effects of the climate crisis.
For Mathai, it is about recovering “those traditional values” that have been “destroyed by the colonial period, although much is still there”, and “taking inspiration from the wisdom of the people of traditional culture”.
Her work led to her being named one of the most influential people of 2023 by US Time magazine.
Ask: He has come a long way following in his mother’s footsteps. How was the education that she gave you to be here today?
Answer: The work I do now is not the same as when I started. I worked in the healthcare sector in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, and I did not expect that my return to Kenya would cause me a passion and admiration for what my mother did. After she won the Nobel, I dove even deeper and learned to be a part of her legacy. She created a movement that highlights the connection between the environment, democracy and peace, where they are all equally important.
P: What are the most important principles your mother taught you?
R: She was all patience. She also taught me persistence, not to give up. And her commitment. You have to focus and commit to a cause. Sooner or later there will be a breakthrough. Also, she was an optimist, and I consider myself quite an optimist too.
The challenge of deforestation
P: What are Africa’s main environmental challenges?
R: One of the biggest challenges is deforestation. Also agriculture, because where and how we farm also affect the environment. In Africa, we have 700 million hectares available for reforestation, and there is a lot of work ahead, but we must also change the patterns. Africa could be home to the healthiest soil on the planet. The Congo rainforest, for example, is extremely important for climate stability.
P: At the COP27 climate summit, held last November in Egypt, the issue of loss and damage funds was the most relevant. Why is this measure important?
R.: It is important because the climate crisis is causing a lot of suffering and damage to livelihoods and lives. We now know when loss and damage is the result of a weather-related phenomenon. And, when this is the case, especially in vulnerable countries, which are not responsible for the climate crisis, there must be compensation. That is why those who produce the most emissions are required to compensate those who suffer unnecessarily.
The contribution of rich countries
P: Why is it necessary for the richest countries to contribute to mitigating the climate crisis?
R: Because they are the ones driving the crisis. The climate is changing, temperatures are rising because human beings cause emissions, mainly from the most industrialized countries. Now we can quantify it. We have a classification of the most emitting countries.
P: What would you ask of governments in the face of social injustice caused by climate change?
R: One of the most important things is to save the forests. We need to give them protection. We have to make sure they are permanently protected and restored. That is my first request. Second, they must invest in local leadership and businesses, and in innovation.
The role of women
P: Women are more affected by the climate crisis. Because?
R: Because the climate crisis affects agriculture, and they are the drivers of agricultural production. It is directly related. For example, in the floods in Pakistan, the people most affected were women and children, because they were the ones who took care of the children and the ones who worked on the farms.
P: Youth is a great focus in your projects. What are the keys to focus on this population group?
R: Young people are the ones who will suffer the worst impacts because we know that in 2050 and 2060 many people will not be there, but our young people will. The Wangari Maathai Foundation focuses on the engagement and inspiration of young people. The organization teaches them to stand up for what they believe in and to speak up and be active in the climate movement.
P: What do you think your mother would say about the current climate challenges and the evolution and measures that are being taken?
R: My mother was always prophetic in many ways. “We must protect nature because if not nature will hit us back,” she said. I think she would be happy with the fact that people are still fighting, but disappointed by the speed of the action.