Béatrice Butsana-Sita
Chief Executive Officer, British Red Cross
Tanya Steele
Chief Executive Officer, WWF-UK
In Kenya, climate change threatens both communities and ecosystems. A groundbreaking partnership is harnessing the power of nature to restore these lands and protect the people who live there.
WWF-UK and the British Red Cross are partnering to combat the effects of climate change in Kenya. With funds raised by players of the People’s Postcode Lottery, the project aims to protect both people and the planet by restoring the Southern Swamp mangrove forest in Lamu County. Other activities include planting trees around Lake Kenyatta to prevent soil erosion and protect this vital water source.
Combating the climate impact on communities
Kenya faces severe threats from climate change. Each year, 6.5 million people face droughts — a number expected to rise dramatically1— while agriculture, which supports 60% of Kenya’s population, is increasingly threatened.2
Restoring ecosystems like mangrove forests aims to build resilience against climate-related disasters, secure water sources and improve livelihoods, helping communities adapt and recover from the impacts of climate change.
We know climate change is having devastating effects on communities around the world. Extreme weather events are more common, more dangerous and longer-lasting, posing ever-increasing threats to people’s lives, homes and livelihoods. We also know that working with nature can be one of the most effective ways to help communities build resilience in the face of unprecedented challenges.
Nature is our greatest ally in the
fight against the climate crisis.
Protective power of nature-based solutions
Restoring ecosystems, like the Southern Swamp mangrove forest, will help protect vital wildlife habitats, absorb CO2 and act as a natural barrier against floods, storms and cyclones. These efforts are crucial for mitigating the impact of climate change.
Nature is our greatest ally in the fight against the climate crisis. But as the world warms, our precious ecosystems risk reaching tipping points, which will change them fundamentally, with disastrous impacts for nature and people across the world. It’s not too late to change course, but we cannot do this alone. Our partnership with the British Red Cross exemplifies how we can unite to restore and protect our natural world, ensuring it can continue to thrive and safeguard humanity’s future.
[1] Climate Centre, 2021. Climate fact sheet, Kenya: Country overview.
[2] World Bank Group, 2018. Kenya economic update, April 2018, No. 17: Policy options to advance the big 4. World Bank.
