Twenty years after Wangari Maathai received the Nobel Peace Prize for her courageous defense of forests, democracy and women’s rights, the United Nations Environment Programme honored her legacy this week at a commemorative event held in Nairobi. The moment unfolded as more than 6,000 delegates gathered in the Kenyan capital for the seventh session of the United Nations Environment Assembly. In a world increasingly fragmented by geopolitics, misinformation and inward-looking national agendas, Maathai’s insistence that societies should defend nature, protect the vulnerable and stand up for justice continues to resonate, as indicators of climate change worsen across every major metric and environmental defenders face rising threats. “We have what it takes: we have far better technology than we did 20 years ago, and we have the resources. Let nobody tell us they don’t exist,” she told Mongabay. For Wanjira Mathai, now the managing director for Africa and global partnerships at the World Resources Institute (WRI), her mother’s beliefs remain a compass: the world must see itself as interconnected; communities and defenders must be protected; and Africa has the potential not just to catch up, but to lead. In this interview with Mongabay’s David Akana, conducted just after the commemoration of her mother, Wanjira Mathai reflects on her mother’s worldview, Africa’s opportunities and challenges, and the changing politics of environmental action. Wanjari Mathai: “I believe that with the right information and the right political will, our leaders can make the right choices for Africa.” Image courtesy Wanjari Mathai. Mongabay: This commemoration…This article was originally published on Mongabay

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