World Service

African forests are vital for food and economic development, as well as for supporting millions of species of animals and plants. We find out how to protect them better with one of Africa’s top environmentalists! From the giant Congo rainforest to the Kenyan highlands and the mangroves of Mozambique, Africa’s forests are some of the most spectacular places on Earth. And these sensitive ecosystems are not just important for Africa: they play a vital role in the global climate because they store huge amounts of carbon dioxide and pump out oxygen. Kenyan environmentalist Wanjira Mathai has been campaigning to protect and nurture forests for decades. She tells The Climate Question about the challenges they now face across Africa from rapid urbanisation, mining and logging. The solution, according to Wanjira, is to place a proper economic value on the environmental services provided by forests and the communities who live in them – whether that’s supplying water and food, or helping to prevent floods sweeping through cities such as Nairobi. Wanjira Mathai is Managing Director, Africa and Global Partnerships at the World Resources Institute. She’s been chatting to The Climate Question host Jordan Dunbar and BBC Senior Climate Reporter Esme Stallard. Got a question for The Climate Question? Email us: theclimatequestion@bbc.com Producers: Diane Richardson and Melanie Stewart-Smith Sound Mix: Mike Regaard and Tom Brignell Editor: Simon Watts