The document discusses the impact of globalization, particularly the shift of political and economic power from the West to the East, on African biodiversity. It highlights both positive and negative cultural influences on biodiversity, the need for African leaders to champion beneficial conservation policies, and the importance of forming partnerships with Eastern countries to sustain biodiversity efforts. The author emphasizes the necessity for Africa to innovate its technologies and strategically engage with Eastern powers to promote biodiversity maintenance and sustainability.

1. TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS ESSAYS
Category 2c
Question 1
Globalization has taken the world by storm and of late there has been a shift of balance of
political and economic power from the west to the East. What does it mean to the African
biodiversity?
GLOBALIZATION FROM WEST TO EAST-AFRICA'S BIODIVERSITY
LANDSCAPE
In the purview of the tenets of globalization as being the interconnectedness of people and
business across the world that eventually leads to global cultural, political and economic
integration, its consequential impact on biodiversity is certain. Moreover, of greater concern is
the effect of the shift of economic and political power from the West(Europe, Americas) to the
East (Asia and middle East countries) and particularly its impact on conservation efforts in
ecosystems to sustain biodiversity.
To foster the discussion on the implications of this shift on the African biodiversity landscape, its
imperative that we explore it along the major three prongs of globalization which are culture,
politics and economic realms.
Culture is a key component of globalization as it basically cuts across numerous aspects of the
society such as;religion,dressing,eating,traditions,entertainment and much more. In relation to
biodiversity for instance it has dual impact that is both positive and negative impact. The shift of
both political and economic power from the West to East will definitely trudge along with
cultural influence from the East which will replace or weaken established native Africans' own
cultural values or established western cultural aspects which have ramifications that affect
African biodiversity positively classical example is on the dietary cultural values where by there
seems to be distinct nutritional preferences in the East which are not popular or rather readily
acceptable in Africa such as the eating of reptiles such as snakes,dogs,snails and monkeys is
popular in Asia particularly in China which is a pivotal player in this shift. What this illustration
implies, is that closer ties with the East will result to emergence of endangerment of previously

2. unendagered species as a consequence of cultural influence or to supply needs of the cultural
practices of the citizens of the new giants of the global economic and political arena. On the
positive aspect, some species of both animal and plant kingdoms are considered sacred by the
people of the East thus they may be deliberate in fostering conservancy efforts of such species
and thus positively impacting the African biodiversity maintenance and sustainability.
The political faucet of this shift is also an indispensable critical area of analysis on as far as
African biodiversity is concerned. The shift of political power from the west to the East implies
the East will have vast influence on stipulation, adoption and implementation of policies that
foster conservancy efforts in ensuring promotion and maintenance of biodiversity at both
individual level of African countries and globally. This implies African leaders must brace
themselves to defend already existing policies on sustainability of biodiversity and only support
new ones that are wholesomely beneficial in the quest to promote biodiversity. The pursuit for
hydrocarbon fuels such as coal by the East should be muzzled due to its negative impact on
environment by accelerating global warming and subsequent alteration of biodiversity.
The shift of economic power from the West to the East implies funding of projects concerning
biodiversity is at stake as most sponsors have previously been from the West. This calls for
stakeholders in the biodiversity sector to review their fiscal policies to both sustain the previous
partners and to scout for new partnerships from the East to ensure sustained efforts in
maintenance and promotion of biodiversity .Bilateral and Multilateral partnerships with East
should also involve a raft of measures and conditions that will ensure conservation of
biodiversity is protected ,maintained and promoted where all infrastructural projects are
undertaken with funding and expertise from the East. In the economic shift also, Africa must be
keen not only to tap on technolocoloical inventions from the East but also to innovate its own
technologies for use in fostering biodiversity sustainability initiatives. Africa must also put in
place fiscal and strategic policies that will compel the East to significantly contribute to
improving and promoting biodiversity efforts in all trade and investment deals it jointly
undertakes with African states.
In conclusion, to advance conservation globally, we ought to ensure fairness, democracy based
on good legal, economic and social policies and rational and responsible use of scientific
advances thus maintaining and sustaining biodiversity effectively .

4. Personal information of the Author
NAME: EUGENE MABONGA LUKOA
AGE:22 years
UNIVERSITY :JOMO KENYATTA UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE AND
TECHNOLOGY - JKUAT
COURSE :BSC. CLINICAL MEDICINE - 4th year
POSTAL ADRESS :P.O BOX 62000-0200, NAIROBI.
CELL PHONE.:+254704302782
Email :eugemabo@gmail.com