BUJUMBURA September 13th (ABP) – The teacher at the University of the Great Lakes (UGL) and researcher in the field of environment, Mr. Tharcisse Ndayizeye, told a check by ABP, during an interview, that anthropic action is at the origin of the changes that the whole world in general and Burundi in particular are facing in recent days, which changes affect different sectors of the life of the countries.
According to that environmental researcher, they talk about climate change when it is a situation that is observed over a fairly long period, which can extend to 30 years.
Climate change is occurring on a global scale due to the fact that there are changes in the atmosphere due to anthropogenic action which causes the emission of greenhouse gases, mainly carbon dioxide (CO2), which comes from industrialization and automobiles.
Industrial enterprises are increasing overnight. Each country tends to increase its industrialization, hence the CO2 emitted into the atmosphere increases from one year to the next, which will strengthen the atmospheric layer. “When we receive the energy coming from the sun, there is the albedo (Quality characterizing the proportion of light energy reflected or diffused by an illuminated body), trapped by this layer and which causes global warming”, he explained.
Researcher Ndayizeye clarified that warming in itself is not bad, but when there is too much warming as a result of human activity, the consequences are very numerous in different dimensions. For example, here in Burundi where more than 90% of the population makes a living from agriculture, when there is climate change characterized by flooding, people who farm in marshes can work at a loss. Flood, hail, drought and cyclone have a serious impact on production at the national level. “Not only will we run out of food, but we will also have difficulty finding foreign currency,” he noted.
According to the teacher-researcher, global warming can cause a foundation of permafrosts (blocks of hail) in the poles which, when they collapse, cause consequences in terms of the rise of seas, lakes and rivers. The typical example is that of Lake Tanganyika which recently destroyed the houses built around its ancient shores. “Can you imagine the fate of people who have taken out loans from banks but who find themselves forced to leave their homes and continue to repay the loans? “, he lamented.
In the health sector, Mr. Ndayizeye gave the example of mosquitoes which were once rampant in the Imbo region, but which are now capable of adapting to so-called cold regions (Kayanza, Ngozi, Gitega ), thanks to global warming.
Unfortunately, those responsible for climate change are not only Burundians. A Chinese or an American can pollute the atmosphere, but the consequences are suffered by people who do not have the means to protect themselves. “When it’s too hot, how many Burundians have fans in their homes? “, he asked himself.
He also revealed that environmentalists do not accept the use of air conditioners because, he explained, those air conditioning tools cause warming while emitting other environmentally harmful gases.
Given that industry is the basis of climate change, the least developed countries, especially those in Africa, are less industrialized and have difficulty adapting to those climate changes. Industrialized countries continue to enrich themselves while they have not reserved means to save populations who are in danger because of the actions carried out by their industries, he lamented.
Burundi is a sovereign country which participates in the concert of nations and which has forests which capture CO2 in the atmosphere. To that end, researcher Ndayizeye called for the implementation of the polluter pays principle, in order to give us sufficient means to deal with the consequences linked to climate change because, he expressed those responsible for the latter and their contribution is known and well identified. They must intervene effectively to help the victims of climate change, he hoped.
Thus, he proposed, even if they contribute little to climate change, we must adopt responsible behavior at the national level, which aims to avoid emitting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere through use of renewable energies and by favoring public transport and the rational management of both industrial and household waste, through their recycling or recovery, so that the country is a global model.
Welcoming the situation relating to the management of sachets which has been controlled, the teacher-researcher requested that waste management also be controlled. In addition, he added that the health of the collectors of this waste and the vehicles that transport it leave something to be desired. We have also not hired individuals for the regular emptying of trash cans installed in certain public places, he lamented.
Finally, he advised that every person should be sensitive to the environment by avoiding throwing waste or plastics anywhere; trying to be responsible while depositing the waste in a suitable place that does not threaten anyone. “And the person who will collect thar waste must be protected,” he stressed, before asking the Burundian state to show the people all the high-risk areas, so that she no longer settles there.