Professionals and the academia tend to bask in the glory of high sounding jargons or expressions while discussing environmental issues at the global level. They converge and discuss in heavy terms which a common man or woman at another corner of the globe can barely comprehend. Climate change, global warming, carbon credit, carbon emission or green house effects are some of the most dreaded global issues while talking about urgent need to conserve and protect environment. However, it puzzles that as these challenges rattle world leaders’ minds in international summits, the ordinary people, especially in Africa, remains hardly informed about them. In fact, these terms are merely ‘rocket science’ to a rural farmer who paradoxically is on the receiving end of their impact. This is because in many ways these concepts were originally communicated as scientific problems, complex, confusing, and at times contested scientific information resulting in slow public response to the environmental crisis. Another irony is that the debates, for a long time, were taking place in developed nations which were by the way largely safe from their adverse effects. Technical solutions to environmental problems cannot be the panacea to fight environmental challenges. ‘Solving climate change’ has always been presented as the excuse for gambling on high-risk technologies. Extreme weather and greater unpredictability in weather patterns are having serious consequences for our people who rely on land, water and other resources to feed themselves and earn a living. This is one way the community must be made aware of the causes of such occurrence and ways of mitigation to their activities that degrade the environment around them. Scientists say that human activities are increasingly altering the earth’s climate. These effects add to natural influences that have been present throughout Earth’s history. Scientific evidence strongly indicates that natural influences cannot explain the rapid increase in global near-surface temperatures observed during the second half of the 20th century. The response to any environmental impacts should be dictated by how well it is understood by everyone. The issues must be founded on the belief that those worst affected by them have the right to be better informed, in order to understand and respond effectively to their changing environment. Providing people with the information they need will, therefore, be crucial in this process. Reaction to environmental challenges is hampered by a fundamental shortage of relevant, useful information for the local audiences. The intensive media coverage and public awareness campaigns prevalent in most of our cities have been largely absent in the rural areas. The information and communication needs of locals need to be at the heart of any response to environment conservation. It is obvious that all neighbourhoods have an area that has been harmed by human activity. Knowing the latest information about helping the environment is important. Being able to utilise that information within a specific neighbourhood is a huge help. This will bring environmental awareness down to a personal level. People will realise how they are affected when the environment is not properly maintained. Of particular significance, there should be an active role of the community as the primary stakeholder in these processes. Participation of the community, its partnerships with other stakeholders, has become an important component of all environmental programmes and projects worldwide, both in terms of subsidiarity of decision-making processes, and of creating an enabling environment for the community to have a say over aspects that affect their lives. Involving the community in local environmental management has been prescribed as a panacea for a whole lot of environmental ills. It is worthwhile mentioning that Rwanda recognises and gives priority to environment issues which are linked to other national priorities like reducing vulnerability to climate change in north-western Rwanda through Community Based Adaptation (RV3CBA) project under the Ministry of Natural Resources (a project which saw the Minister for Natural Resources, Dr Vincent Biruta, lay a foundation stone for the construction of a model green village at Kabyaza site, Mukamira Sector, Nyabihu District on June 27, 2015). Rwanda’s households strongly rely on natural resources, as a basis for farming, fishing, energy production and housing. Development of sustainable environmental management like the green village and other practices at the local level will go a long way, not only in curbing environmental challenges but also reinforcing the pursuance of poverty reduction and economic growth. As the country hits the headlines on best environmental conservation practices on the continent, sustained simplified information to our local people must be a necessity. Just like Mario Molina in his quote said “Scientists may depict the problems that will affect the environment based on available evidence, but their solution is not the responsibility of scientists but of society as a whole.’’ Indeed collective efforts involving everyone provide a return of a cleaner, safer and healthier Rwandan environment. oscar.kimanuka@yahoo.co.uk
