For the first time ever,
communities worldwide taking action to protect
the environment as part of the Clean Up
the World Weekend, 19-21 September,
will have the opportunity to plot their
activities using a new online mapping function.
Developed with the support
of Google, Clean Up the World's technology
partner, the new website http://activities.cleanuptheworld.org
will give participating groups the chance
to profile and share their environmental
activities as part of the Weekend and the
year-round campaign.
The Australian founder
and chairman of the campaign, Ian Kiernan
AO* said many of this year's Clean Up the
World Weekend activities will be focused
on limiting the impacts of climate changes
under the campaign's theme 'Start today-.Save
tomorrow-Clean Up Our Climate'.
"Tens of millions
of people around the world taking simple
actions is the perfect first step towards
protecting the Earth for our future generations,"
Mr Kiernan said.
"All over the world
people are seeing the devastating effects
of climate change. Clean Up the World provides
every person and every community with the
opportunity to do something about it."
"Now, thanks to
Clean Up the World's use of Google Maps,
we have the tool to visually show the extent
of environmental action being undertaken
around the world and motivate new communities
to get involved in the campaign."
Participating organisations
and their volunteers will take part in a
range of activities designed to improve
the environment such as waste reduction
and recycling, water and energy conservation,
and revegetation.
The Clean Up the World
campaign is in its 16th year and has the
support of the United Nation's Environment
Programme (UNEP).
Achim Steiner, Executive Director of UNEP,
praised the efforts of organisations across
the world involved in the Clean Up the World
campaign.
"Climate change
is the number one issue facing humanity
at the turn of the 21st century -lives are
threatened as is the very fabric of all
countries and communities. So let's all
start today to save tomorrow." he said.
* AO Order of Australia
awarded for distinguished service of a high
degree to Australia or to humanity at large.
Clean Up the World is
a campaign held in conjunction with our
Primary Partner UNEP. Sponsors-Brambles
and Qantas. Technology Partner - Google
Inc. Global Media Partner - National Geographic
Channels International. Supporters - The
Australian Government through the Department
of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Armor and
Marriott International Inc.
CN Net staff member
witnesses the effects of glacial melt on
Mt. Kenya
Joseph Ogidi Oyoo, together
with two colleagues from UNEP, joined a
number of other climbers - students, musicians,
soccer coaches, local environmentalists
and even a Member of Parliament, people
from different walks of life and ethnic
groups to climb Mt. Kenya which is the second
highest peak in Africa. Joseph noted the
effects of climate change on the mountain.
Ogidi, Liz Rihoy with
Caroline Murihia of UN Habitat
"Climbing Mt. Kenya on 14 September
2008 provided an opportunity for me to have
a first hand experience of the effects of
climate change.
The climb was organized
by the Catholic Secretariat to promote peace
and raise environmental awareness in Kenya.
It was sponsored by UNEP who sent a team
of four staff to the climb.
UNEP team being flagged off by UNEP's Executive
Director, (from left to right) Achim Steiner,
Amina Darani, Ogidi, Liz Rihoy and Vandana
Dave
Among the personalities that made it to
the peak are Ms Liz Rihoy, wife of UNEP
Executive Director Achim Steiner, Nderitu
Mureithi Assistant Minister for Industrialization,
Jacob Ghost Mulee former Kenyan soccer national
team coach, a number of Catholic priests,
youth representatives and reporters from
the New York Times and Kenyan NTV."
Mount Kenya is the highest
mountain in Kenya. It has three main peaks
namely Batian (5,199 m - 17,058 ft), Nelion
(5,188 m - 17,022 ft) and Lenana (4,985
m - 16,355 ft). The mountain and its surroundings
are protected in the Mount Kenya National
Park, which is a designated UNESCO World
Heritage Site.
Glacier on Mt Kenya
During the period when global climates were
significantly cooler than they are today,
the glaciers on Mt. Kenya extended down
to about 3000m. According to Kenyan wildlife
officials, Mt. Kenya was recorded to have
eighteen glaciers in 1893 scattered among
the three peaks. Seven of the eighteen glaciers
have since disappeared.
In the 1980s, the area
of glaciers on the mountain was measured
and recorded as about 0.7 km² (0.25
square miles), which is far smaller than
the first observations, made in the 1890s.
At present, the glaciers
are retreating at an accelerating rate.
"I saw that the ice is also becoming
thinner. It has been estimated that if the
present trend continues, in 20 years there
may well be no permanent ice left on the
mountain."
Close up of the glacier
(Credit; Tom Otieno)
Mount Kenya is the main water catchment
area for two rivers: the Tana River, the
largest river in Kenya, and the Ewaso Nyiro
River. The Mount Kenya ecosystem provides
water directly for over 3 million people.
The slopes below 1,800
m (5,900 ft) are intensively farmed, producing
tea, coffee, beans, maize, bananas, potatoes
and vegetables.
The threat facing the
glaciers on Mt. Kenya means that the Kenyan
population which depends on this ecosystem
is also threatened, concluded Ogidi.
Let’s UNite to combat climate change.
