{"id":118035,"date":"2018-07-08T18:47:40","date_gmt":"2018-07-08T16:47:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/how-ethiopia-and-kenya-have-put-a-world-heritage-site-in-danger-the-conversation\/"},"modified":"2018-07-08T18:47:40","modified_gmt":"2018-07-08T16:47:40","slug":"how-ethiopia-and-kenya-have-put-a-world-heritage-site-in-danger-the-conversation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/how-ethiopia-and-kenya-have-put-a-world-heritage-site-in-danger-the-conversation\/","title":{"rendered":"How Ethiopia and Kenya have put a world heritage site in danger | The Conversation"},"content":{"rendered":"

How Ethiopia and Kenya have put a world heritage site in danger<\/a>: <\/p>\n

Central Island, the breeding ground of what was once the world\u2019s largest population of Nile Crocodile<\/span> Sean Avery<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lake Turkana is the world\u2019s largest desert lake. Located in Kenya\u2019s remote northern arid lands, it is the most saline of Africa\u2019s great lakes, and its vast aquatic resources contribute to the livelihoods of over 300,000 people, including pastoralists, fishermen and tourism operators. Its ecology supports a host of local and migratory bird and wildlife populations. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s also home to unique fossil and archaeological discoveries. In 1973, Sibiloi National Park was created on the north-eastern lakeshore to conserve these remarkable discoveries that have contributed so much to our understanding of human evolution. And in 1983 and 1985, the lake\u2019s South and Central Islands were designated national parks because of their outstanding wildlife breeding habitats, notably for the Nile crocodile. <\/p>\n

These three national parks were inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1997 for their \u201cgeological and fossil records\u201d and \u201cdiverse aquatic and terrestrial habitats\u201d.<\/p>\n

There are 1,092 UNESCO World Heritage sites in the world, five of which are within Kenya. Sites are selected for their outstanding cultural value, or outstanding natural value, or a combination of both assets. Once inscribed, the sites are protected according to local legislation and international treaties.<\/p>\n

It would seem that this status would offer the lake good protection against major threats. But that\u2019s not been the case. The lake\u2019s national parks are now on the World Heritage \u201cIn Danger\u201d list, a result of Ethiopia\u2019s developments on the Omo river \u2013 which feeds the lake \u2013 and poor management of the parks by Kenya. <\/p>\n

Keeping heritage sites safe<\/h2>\n

193 countries worldwide are party to the World Heritage Convention that came into force in 1975. The aim is to protect globally outstanding cultural and natural sites, and conserve them for future generations. Both Kenya and Ethiopia are state parties to this Convention. <\/p>\n

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Lake Turkana.<\/span> Sean Avery<\/span><\/span> <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Under the convention guidelines, state parties are obliged to submit reports every six years on each of their World Heritage sites. If a site comes under threat, the World Heritage Committee can initiate the agreed process of \u201creactive monitoring\u201d \u2013 an independent mission to review and produce a report on the state of conservation of the site. If the site is found to be facing danger, the mission can recommend it be placed on the \u201cList of World Heritage in Danger\u201d. <\/p>\n

If this listing is decided upon, and if the danger can be remedied, the State Party can ask for help from the World Heritage Fund. But, if the site is irretrievably damaged, the Committee can decide to delete the site from the list altogether.<\/p>\n

Why the lake was put on the danger list<\/h2>\n

The World Heritage Committee first expressed strong concerns about the lake\u2019s sustainability seven years ago. Threats were identified as the Gibe dams and irrigation plantation developments on Ethiopia\u2019s Omo River. More than 80% of the lake\u2019s freshwater inflow is provided by the Omo River and so these projects affect the lake\u2019s ecology. <\/p>\n

The committee requested that Ethiopia suspend construction works on the Gibe III dam and submit assessments on the dam and irrigation development plans. Ethiopia and Kenya were each requested to share their views, and in its report to the committee Kenya shared the same concerns. As a result a reactive monitoring mission was invited to Kenya.<\/p>\n

Over the years \u2013 despite annual exchanges between the World Heritage Committee, Kenya and Ethiopia \u2013 Ethiopia has not acted on the various requests issued by the Committee, continuing with development projects without conducting a strategic environmental assessment. The filling of Gibe III\u2019s vast reservoir was completed in December 2016 and the full water demands and downstream effects of irrigation schemes are still not known. <\/p>\n

Kenya too has been lax. It hasn\u2019t implemented recommendations to deal with poaching, illegal fishing, and livestock grazing in the Lake Turkana National Parks. <\/p>\n

For the last couple of years the committee has expressed regrets, included notes, and made requests from both countries, but there have been no decisions in tackling the lake\u2019s threats.<\/p>\n