聯合國環境規劃署警告，全球氣候的變遷，以及森林、草原、溼地和其他重要生態系統的持續滅絕，已導致東非地區長期的乾旱現象更為加遽。肯亞氣象局的報告即指出，該地區去年的降雨量嚴重不足，而去年10月到12月的雨季，降雨量也並不樂觀。肯亞是目前東非地區，4個面臨乾旱問題的國家之一。
肯亞政府表示過去連續三年降雨匱乏，已經讓2500萬人瀕臨因飢餓而死亡。奇巴奇總統宣稱乾旱已經成為國家級災難，並且呼籲各界捐助1億5千萬美金以餵飽飢餓的人民。聯合國預估在索馬利亞，140萬人也同樣瀕臨餓死邊緣，而在衣索比亞則有150萬人遭受饑荒，吉布地則有6萬人。
聯合國環境規劃署執行長托佛（Klaus Toepfer）說：「饑荒對東菲人民來說並不陌生。」目前環境規劃署已匯編關於肯亞森林情況的諸多報告，他們說：「這是自然的氣候現象。」
托佛表示該地區森林消退是造成乾旱的一部分原因。他說：「自然提供了生物的維生資源，像是氣候乾燥時的水源和濕氣。但近數十年來，大自然這樣的能力已起了劇幅的改變，這是因為許多自然的水源和降雨供應服務已經遭到嚴重損傷、破壞，甚至完全喪失了。」
托佛督促該地區各國投注金錢和心力，復原他們的「天然的或自然資本」，以緩衝脆弱不堪的在地社區，對抗未來的乾旱。托佛也要求來自世界各地的捐助國家，支援相關重要計畫以對抗貧窮，並傳遞永續而持久的經濟發展；同時，各國也必須採取各種可能方法，降低造成全球升溫的石化燃料排放。
托佛警告：「如果沒有結合行動，近來面臨缺水和限電配給的國家，情況仍不會有所改善，並且所有悲慘的經濟損害將隨之而來。」
The relentless drought across East Africa is deepening because of global climate change as well as the continuing destruction of forests, grasslands, wetlands and other critical ecosystems, the UN Environment Programme is warning. Rainfall over the past year has been poor and the recent rainy season of October to December 2005 was dismal, the Kenyan Meteorological Services reported. Kenya is one of four drought-striken countries that are the focus of concern.
The Kenyan government says the lack of rains for three straight years has left 2.5 million people close to starvation. President Mwai Kibaki has declared the drought a national disaster and appealed for $150 million to feed the hungry. In Somalia, 1.4 million people are at risk of starving to death, while 1.5 million are suffering in Ethiopia and 60,000 in Djibouti, the UN estimates.
"Drought is no stranger to the peoples of East Africa," said Klaus Toepfer, the executive director of UNEP, which has compiled a number of reports on the state of Kenya's forests. "It is a natural climatic phenomenon.
Toepfer says deforestation of the region is in part responsible for the arid conditions. "What has dramatically changed in recent decades is the ability of nature to supply essential services like water and moisture during hard times. This is because so much of nature's water and rain supplying services have been damaged, destroyed or cleared," he said.
Toepfer urged countries in the region to invest in and rehabilitate their "natural or nature capital" to buffer vulnerable communities against future droughts. He asked donor countries to back such plans as vital lynch pins for overcoming poverty and delivering sustainable and long-lasting economic development, while taking every possible measure to reduce the emissions of fossil fuels that are forcing up global temperatures.
"Without these combined actions," Toepfer warned, "countries currently again facing water shortages and power rationing will continue to do so into the future with all the misery and economic damage this entails."
作者
In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
