Walk the talk on climate

On Wednesday, during his inaugural speech to the United Nations General Assembly, President William Ruto called on rich countries to support developing countries in tackling the climate crisis.

That was a good entry point and positive momentum to what is happening in the world—the worst droughts, floods, melting glaciers, drying rivers and food insecurity afflicting the Horn of Africa—which is largely due to climate change.

Kenya is recognised globally as a leading climate change mitigation champion. Dr Ruto pledged at his inauguration to make tackling climate change a priority. He should not relent.

Climate change is a highly contentious issue, more so at a time when rich countries have failed to live up to their pledge of pumping about Sh12 trillion to developing countries.

Funding for the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries, championing more clean energy, keeping global warming below 1.5° Celsius, a legal obligation to protect people from climate harm and curbing windfall profits from fossil fuel firms topped the talks at this week’s UN General Assembly (Unga). 

In November, the first-of-its-kind highly anticipated climate change conference will be held in Egypt.

The delegates at COP21 will brainstorm on whether the Unga pledges were met.

As Africa hosts the foremost climate gathering for the first time ever, the scientists in the field will voice the continent’s local problems.

They should come up with solutions that will help in adapting to climate change effects and recouping some of the losses.

Member states should today shift their attention towards the development and implementation of frameworks for climate change mitigation.

Activists should work with the people most vulnerable to climate change.

They should engage local media more because the people they represent consume local news, anyway.

Let the government make the climate crisis a big deal. It’s time to act. The world must walk the climate talk or perish.