摘要
Environmental security remains a key challenge in the late 19th through to the 21st century,whose solution has attracted a number of initiatives.Sports diplomacy has achieved great strides in achieving international,regional,and local unity.However,the use of sports diplomacy in achieving environmental security has received much less research attention.This research examines the role of sports in diplomacy in achieving environmental security in Kenya.This study was anchored on the soft power theory and Conservation of Resources(COR)theory which offer frameworks for explaining the role of sports diplomacy in advancing environmental security.The study adopted exploratory research design.The target population was diplomats,marathoners,coaches,environmentalists,conservationists and government officials,academia as well as Water Resources Authority(WRA).The primary data were obtained through open and closed structured questionnaire.The collected data were analyzed through the use of frequency distribution,and thematic analysis.The study established that sports diplomacy advanced environmental security in Kenya,which was better for athletics and volleyball.Environmental security was also enhanced through training,sensitization,conservation efforts,and environmental education.Sport events also allowed a contact-platform for interaction between various groups involved in environment and forest conservation.This study recommends that sports diplomacy should be used in most of the regions in Kenya experiencing environmental perturbations and the current strategies should be applied in the sports diplomacy and environmental conservation as well as security.Further,the government is also encouraged to appoint more sports ambassadors with proper environmental knowledge to help in environmental management.The role of academicians in sports diplomacy and environmental security was found to be minimal where academicians should be at the forefront as the 21st century diplomats are incorporated into sports to be local ambassadors.Perceiving the significance of sports diplomacy and environmental security,there is need for coordination between various county governments to coordinate their efforts and in the process they should bring on board even the non sports actors to boost the role of sports in diplomacy and environment.
