In Kenya, flooding lakes have displaced thousands. A novel lawsuit blames climate change

The town of Kampi Ya Samaki was once a bustling fishing and tourism center on the shores of Lake Baringo , one of a chain of major lakes nestled in the Great Rift Valley of western Kenya. Today, however, much of the town is submerged, with only the tops of houses, hotels, churches, and schools still visible. Seven islands used to sit just offshore. But the rising waters mean now “there are six,” says Evans Limo, a local tour guide. Such flooding has become a common sight throughout the Rift Valley , where lakes have swelled over the past decade. Lake Baringo, for example, has doubled in area since 2010 to about 26,000 hectares. Kenyan officials say the flooding has created “panic and anxiety” in lakeshore communities and affected nearly 400,000 people, with many forced to abandon their homes. In some communities, shifting shorelines have exposed residents to deadly attacks by crocodiles and hippos . Now, a novel lawsuit brought by people living around Lake Baringo has put a spotlight on the question of whether climate change is to blame for the rising lakes—and whether Kenya’s constitution and a landmark 2016 climate law obligate government agencies to compensate flooding victims. The goal of the court challenge, which was scheduled to get a hearing this week, is to “enforce the climate change duties of public officials,” says Omondi Owino, the lead attorney representing the residents. The...
Source: Science of Aging Knowledge Environment - Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research