The government must strike the right balance between conservation and development if a sustainable future is to be realised.
The call was made by conservationists on Monday as Kenya marked World Environment Day.
“We have witnessed more than 50 per cent reduction in global biodiversity for half a century. With business as usual, we will lose about 67 per cent of our biodiversity by 2020,” World Wide Fund for Nature Kenya CEO Mohamed Awer said at the Canadian Embassy. Awer said the work ahead is immense and strategic partnership is critical. The government plans to put up phase 2A of the standard gauge railway from Nairobi-Naivasha through the Nairobi National Park, despite disapproval from conservationists. “We must get it right from the planning of these developments, execution, including getting spatial options, and technology which limits loss of our natural heritage,” he said. Awer said 80 per cent of the country’s economy is derived from natural resources.
![Kenya Forestry Service Director Emilio Mugo centre with his Mozabique [L] and World Wide Fund for Nature CEO Mohamed Awer at Amber Hotel Nairobi during conference on implementation of forests conservation agreement on April 13, 2017/JOSEPH NDUNDA](http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/VY89ro8Ja7FO6i6FfuA2CgjiDuIUscYl8uTXDJLMJ-t_FX2_UM-XdyjnlY55Dh402JW4xLHCTW5WWUPOqwTns1NUVS8=s512)