On climate change, Raila and Ruto plans fell short
Presidential candidates, from left, Raila Odinga, George Wajackoyah, William Ruto and David Mwaure Waihiga. With less than 30 days to Kenya’s General Election, all the four have publicly shared their manifestos and somehow, climate change and the environment have taken the back burner.
When former US Vice-President Al Gore took his first stab at the presidency in 1988, his top agenda was the environment, a position considered bizarre by pollsters and political analysts.
In his book “Earth in the Balance”, he details how he had to bow to pressure to campaign on “real issues” and ignored the environmental fire that was burning inside him.
With less than 30 days to Kenya’s General Election, all the four presidential candidates have publicly shared their manifestos and somehow, climate change and the environment have taken the back burner. Experts said some of the promises were mere mentions and could have been more elaborate.
Climate change is mentioned in the Kenya Kwanza Alliance manifesto seven times compared to 11 in the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party’s. Neither Agano Party nor Roots Party mentioned climate change. However, the environment (relating to nature and the climate) is mentioned 28 times by Azimio, seven times by Kenya Kwanza and once by Agano. In other parts of the world, such as the UK, some aspirants for high office referred to environmental issues in their manifestos as a “climate emergency” or “climate crisis”.
Better grasp
Prof Nick Oguge, an environmental policy expert at the University of Nairobi’s Faculty of Law, told the Nation that after reading the manifestos, he felt that the Mr Odinga’s Azimio had a better grasp of environmental issues.
“The Kenya Kwanza issues on the environment are a bit scanty and its preamble has touched on what the country already has in the pipeline in the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) such as reducing emissions,” he explained.
Dr Kinyanjui Koimbori, climate change expert and founder of Climate Change Kenya, also thinks Azimio did better in articulating the issues. He also believes that the pledges from Kenya Kwanza are useful, but not new, highlighting NDCs such as climate-smart agriculture, electric vehicles and emission reductions. While Prof Wajackoyah’s manifesto has nothing to do with climate change, Dr Kinyanjui believes that, if marijuana is planted on a large scale, it will help capture carbon emissions from the environment, what experts call carbon sequestration.
“The crop will be useful in absorbing carbon emissions. It serves the same purpose as any plant or tree,” he explained.
Circular economy
The Kenya Kwanza manifesto also touts the circular economy, an ongoing global debate prompted by the historic passing of a treaty that is expected to help end plastic pollution and was orchestrated by world leaders at the fifth United Nations Environment Assembly in Nairobi earlier this year.
Climate activist Patricia Kombo told the Nation that, as much as the circular economy is a great idea, there is a need to be clear about what it will be made of.
Charcoal trade
Both Prof Oguge and Dr Kinyanjui fault Kenya Kwanza’s manifesto on decriminalising charcoal trade, saying that it is regressive, rather than progressive.
“When we say we want to reduce emissions, yet at the same time decriminalising charcoal trade, it is confusing,” said Prof Oguge.
On the same issues, Dr Kinyanjui said: “This is going backwards really, since it will encourage deforestation yet we are trying to increase the forest cover.”
The two experts also feel that the Root’s Party manifesto on selling hyenas’ testicles is not only ridiculous but will have a negative impact on the environment and increase wildlife crime.
