Thousands of Kenyans scroll through Amazon daily, lured by the promise of variety and convenience. But a new report has exposed a harsh reality: what we buy there isn’t necessarily safe, especially for those of us in developing countries.

Every year on September 16th, the world celebrates the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, commemorating the signing of the Montreal Protocol in 1987, a treaty that has become one of humanity’s greatest environmental success stories

Every year, the world produces approximately 300 million tonnes of plastic waste, yet only about 9% of it is recycled. The rest ends up in landfills, natural environments, and oceans, where it breaks down into microplastics ,tiny particles that infiltrate our food chains, freshwater systems, and marine environments, posing serious threats to human health and ecosystems.

As the world prepares for the 2025 World Environment Day, themed “Ending Plastic Pollution”, the Centre for Environment Justice and Development (CEJAD), in collaboration with the Swedish International Centre for Local Democracy (ICLD), convened a unique three-day regional conference in Mombasa, Kenya.

Officially opened on May 26th by Eng. Dr. Festus Ngeno, Principal Secretary of the State Department for Environment and Climate Change, the conference explored the key intersection between plastic pollution governance and democratic institutions.

Mercury pollution from Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining (ASGM) in Kenya is causing widespread ecological harm, threatening biodiversity, food security, and public health. The use of mercury in gold extraction contaminates soil and water, leading to toxic methylmercury buildup in aquatic ecosystems, which bioaccumulates through the food chain and disrupts entire ecosystems. Counties like Migori, Siaya, and Kakamega are among those most affected. Despite being a signatory to the Minamata Convention, Kenya lacks robust regulations to control mercury use in ASGM. To protect ecological resilience and meet global biodiversity targets, there is an urgent need for policies that phase out mercury use, promote safer mining alternatives, and support miners through technical and financial assistance.

A Just Transition to an environmentally sustainable economy involves inclusive and fair strategies for shifting to sustainable plastic production and consumption, ensuring no one, especially waste pickers and informal workers, is left behind

Since the adoption of the Vienna Convention 40 years ago, significant progress has been made in restoring the ozone layer. The convention established a framework for international cooperation to address the effects of human activities on the ozone layer. 

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are toxic compounds that remain in the environment for long periods and accumulate in the food chain. They include dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), brominated flame retardants, and other POPs listed under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. These chemicals pose serious risks to human health, such as cancer, thyroid dysfunction, and reproductive problems

 Libreville, Gabon—On Wednesday 22nd January 2025, Ministers adopted a declaration calling for the elimination of mercury-added skin-lightening products. Non-government organizations from Africa and across the globe applauded the Ministers' high level call to zero out mercury in skin whitening products. 

As the world prepares to commemorate the International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week of Action, CEJAD and other members of the Multisectoral Committee on Sound Chemicals Management are planning for the awareness week together with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)- MCGL