What I will learn

  • Know about the links between conservation of the environment and peace.
  • Understand the interaction between people and the environment.
  • Know about the role of the environment in the society

What I will do

  • Explore the relationship between people now and in the past with the environment.
  • Explore today’s behaviours that can affect the environment in future.
  • Investigate direct viewpoints about the role of environment in security.

Introduction

Environment refers to everything around us. This includes living and non-living things such as soil, water, animals and plants (the surrounding where we live).

The role of the environment in the society

The environment plays a crucial role in the society. This is because it includes the earth, atmosphere, natural resources and air which are all needed by man to live. Despite challenges like economic crisis, war and other social problems, the

environment will remain key to peaceful coexistence in the society.

These roles are

Providing a home for human beings

Everything that we have comes from the environment directly or indirectly. The earth forms a key component of our environment.

The earth is the only planet that can support life. It is our responsibility therefore to ensure that we make our environment a better place for the current and the future generations.

Human settlement in Akot-Tirol.

Problems in our environment will affect human life

All the problems within our environment will have consequences on human beings.

Environmental degradation and over-population threatens the natural resources such as clean water supply and food supply.

Climate change is one of the most serious challenges facing our country and the whole world. Everyone can contribute in fighting global warming. Global warming results in large scale melting of ice which increases water sea levels. This affects the homes of animals and human settlement.

Natural beauty

The environment acts as a source of beauty. Trees, flowers, mountains, lakes, rivers and natural forests create a great sense of beauty.

A clean environment

  • Pollution of air, water and land affects human health and the country’s economy. Diseases caused by pollution require a lot of money to contain. It is therefore important to control pollution so as to live in a friendly and sustaining environment.

  • A polluted environment
  • The environment supports population size of living things When we cut down trees in our forests so as to carry out agriculture, the soil loses its nutrients. This affects productivity and forces us to use fertilizers, hence reducing crop production. Fertilizers have chemicals which reduce soil fertility when frequently used.

This will probably lead to famine hence inadequate food production.

Balancing the ecosystem

The ecosystem is made up of living and non-living things which are found on the land and water. Non- living things include soil, water, and air while living things are; plants, human beings and animals. The environment ensures that there is a balance between these two groups.

The environment provides useful natural resources and products

These include:

  • Clothing – These are found from plants and animals. Examples include leather, wood and cotton.
  • Wood – Wood from trees is used as fuel for construction and making furniture.
  • Water – This is a human need used for domestic purposes like washing, cooking. It is also important in irrigation to promote agriculture.
  • Medicine – Some plants are of medicinal value. In traditional societies they were the main sources of medicine. Modern medicine is made from plants.
  • Fuel- Coal, gas and crude oil. These are used in factories, lighting homes and transport activities.

The environment provides air and temperature regulation

Forests and trees help a lot in the quality of air. Air comprises of oxygen which is crucial in photosynthesis. This is important in food production by plants.

Trees also remove pollutants such as Carbon(iv)Oxide and provide shades.

Activity 5.1

Group work

  • Discuss the role of the environment in society

The relationship between our values and behaviour towards the environment

Values refer to things that are important and useful. Every society has its values which it upholds. Some of our values in our society are;

  • Valuing Innovation
  • Patriotism
  • Responsibility
  • Honesty
  • Positivity
  • Education

A citizen preparing a tree nursery.

It is important to note that our values play an important role on how we behave towards our environment. Some of the roles our values play in shaping our behaviour towards the environment include:

  • Responsibility – As a value, it teaches us to be responsible caretakers of the earth and everything in it. This creates a better place for future generations.
  • Values -Values such as religious beliefs play a role in conservation of the environment. Some trees are seen as sacred hence reduce deforestation. This maintains forest area.
  • Through patriotism, citizens can volunteer to participate in community projects that affect environmental conservation.
  • Teamwork among community members -Community members can come together for activities to control the destruction of the environment. They can control soil erosion by planting trees and building gabions together.
  • Respect - Respect for life makes it wrong for a person to interfere with nature which is believed to have life.
  • Environmental education - This is a learning process. This value increases knowledge on the environment issues. Issues such as soil conservation and tree planting are included in the school curriculum.
  • Hard work as a value where people engage in fruitful activities related to environmental conservation. Agriculture is emphasized in communities.

Activity 5.2

Individual assignment

Q. Identify the responsibilities of citizens towards their environment

Our responsibilities towards the environment

The environment is our home. It provides us with water, food, air and natural resources. It is therefore fair for us to take care of the environment.

Some of our responsibilities towards the environment are:

  • Ensuring that our environment is clean and free from garbage.
  • Planting trees as a means of creating forests.
  • Proper disposal of waste and controlled waste management.
  • Keeping our water bodies intact to save marine life. This is done through conservation of water bodies.
  • Reducing human activities that may degrade the environment.
  • Controlling harmful emissions into the environment.
  • Ensuring that technological developments are environmentally friendly.
  • Incorporating environmental skills in school curriculum.

Activity 5.3

Group work

Q. What are the environmental factors that can lead to conflict in our society?

Relationship between environment and conflict

We have observed that environment plays an important role in the day-to-day activities of the people. Without the environment it is impossible to survive.

Conflicts may arise out of disagreement relating to the environment. However, it is important to ensure that conflicts don’t arise.

Some of the environmental conflicts are caused by:

  • Population growth - population growth will make resources such as land for settlement and water scarce. This in turn might lead to conflict as people compete for the available scarce resources.
  • Uneven distribution of natural resources can lead to conflict. Areas with resources such as oil and wildlife reserves can get into conflict with communities which do not have such resources.
  • Scarcity of land for grazing especially in pastoralist communities. This may lead to conflict as various communities compete for grazing fields.

Human wildlife conflict can also exist in areas where wild animals are close to human beings. The animals might come out to seek for water and food. This may lead to serious conflicts. These animals pose a danger to both human beings and their crops.

  • Human activities such as waste disposal and pollution might cause diseases. These diseases might affect an entire community. The blame that comes out might cause a serious conflict. This happens in shared social resources such as water.

Need for changing lifestyles to conserve the environment

Lifestyle change may be crucial in making our environment safe. The following lifestyle change can be applied to have a clean and safer environment.

  • Using recyclable materials for packing of goods.
  • Using green energy such as solar and hydroelectricity.
  • Advocating through awareness and sensitisation campaigns on the need to change the lifestyle to protect the environment.

Solar panel on a roof top in a village.

  • Activity 5.4
  • Group work
  • Q. What other methods do you use to conserve and protect your environment?
  • Q. What is the importance of planting of trees?

Links between conservation of environment and peace

Peace through environmental conservation can be achieved through:

  • Having a tree planting programmer countrywide to promote unity and emphasize the need for forest coverage.
  • Creation of public parks in disputed lands. The disputing communities can have access to these areas at the same time they can generate revenue.
  • Having a national clean-up day to save the environment from pollution. This will bring various communities together.
  • Environmentalists and organisations to carry out peace initiatives linked to the environment conservation such as advocating the use of clean energy.
  • Encouraging resource mobilization and local participation of leaders from various communities.
  • Educating communities on the need to share the scarce resources like water, pasture and minerals without engaging in conflict.

Activity 5.5

Pair work

  • Discuss the link between conserving of environment and peace.

Glossary

Non-biodegradable material – Materials that cannot decompose.

Degradation – Loss of value. Enactment – Making of laws. Atmosphere – Air around the earth.

Pollution – Putting harmful substances in the environment.

Global warming – Overheating of the earth.

Values – Good standards of behaviour.

Modifié le: lundi 12 janvier 2026, 17:12