Why UN climate change meet in Egypt is critical
President William Ruto is in Egypt to attend the 27th annual international climate change conference, underscoring the importance Kenya attaches to the global emergency. He joins other world leaders, who are expected to explain their plans to tackle climate change.
President Ruto is also at the United Nations Conference of Parties (COP27) on Climate Change to deliver Africa’s statement on the issue. He is the chairperson of the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change.
The continent seeks to draw attention to the effects of drought and food insecurity that it is wrestling with. It is also an opportunity for Dr Ruto to rally countries to honour their commitment to deal with global warming-causing greenhouse gases.
Meetings such as this one are the best reminders of just how the actions of some people affect others across the world. It could not have been put better than by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who said: “We are on the highway to climate hell with our foot on the accelerator.”
This is a grave matter, as the past eight consecutive years have been documented by the UN as the hottest recorded in history. Every new year has been hotter than the previous one. Indeed, the world is reeling from the impact of climate change, hence the urgent need for global solidarity in tackling it.
Kenya’s presence at Sharm el-Sheikh is critical as the country is in the Horn of Africa, a region experiencing its worst drought in 40 years. Some 2.5 million livestock have died in Kenya this year due to the drought, causing huge economic losses. Some 4.3 million Kenyans are in dire need of food relief.
Laudable is the government’s effort to increase forest cover from 12.13 per cent to 30 per cent in 10 years. But that could be undermined by the recent talk about sanctioning farming in forests, which has had disastrous consequences in the past.
The chance meeting between President Ruto and Opposition leader Raila Odinga demonstrates the need to work together on serious issues, our political and other differences notwithstanding. The climate change agenda is one that calls for utmost cooperation. The world must resolve it now or perish.
