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The UNESCO – the United Nations Scientific Agency – is so concerned about the threats facing Lake Turkana in Kenya that it has placed the natural wonder on the list of heritage sites world in danger.
years ago, with its essential role as a stopover for a large number of migratory birds, including large flocks of flamingos, as well as breeding grounds for crocodiles and hippos.
already having "disruptive effects" by reducing the flow of water into the lake and planning to build two other hydroelectric dams that now threaten to dry up the lake. natural wonder, warn environmental advocates
as a potential cause of civil unrest and even large-scale wars as the impacts of climate change are felt in arid countries.
Construction of the future dam along the Omo River, the largest Ethi The system of rivers opians outside the Nile basin and which empties into the lake threatens to affect the populations and wildlife that depend of its green waters.
Guy Debonnet, conservation expert with UNESCO, warned that these projects will have an impact on the local communities that depend on the lake for fishing and for their livelihood. Ethiopia is planning two new dams on the Omo River that will only make the situation worse.
The International Rivers lobby group claims Ethiopia's Gibe III Dam and irrigation of sugar cane plantations has reduced the flow in the lake.
Its African director, Rudo Sanyanga, says the lake is likely to shrink slowly, reducing breeding grounds for fish and becoming too toxic for people and animals to drink.
She also warns of dangers She said: "Ethiopia should cancel plans to build two more dams, Gibe IV and Gibe V, on the Omo River. These projects will only exacerbate the risk of dewatering In the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa, the authorities reject the claims, saying that his studies show that the flow of the river will be regulated by dams and thus stabilize the water levels in the area affected by the floods.
Within the influential International Union for the Conservation of Nature – UNESCO Advisers on Wildlife Issues and Guardians of the Red List of Threatened Species – it is asked to strengthen the protection of the site. "The Lake Turkana World Heritage Site in Kenya is in danger of losing its outstanding values if steps are not taken immediately to reduce the impacts of the Gibe III dam and stop other harmful developments."
depends on the lake and it is our collective responsibility to mobilize the necessary resources to support them by protecting the site. "
Calls on Kenyan authorities to be more proactive in dealing with threats made by an organization that speaks
Ikal Angelei, director of the Friends of Lake Turkana, fears that the basins of Underground water and livestock pastures are reduced, and the Kenyan government needs to be "a little more realistic about the impact."
She adds, "While Kenya is considering benefiting from the purchase of power, we must ask what is the cost of this power over the ecosystem in the longer term? "
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