President Ruto rallies Africa to walk the climate change talk
People taking part in a climate march in Nairobi on September 4, 2023, during the Africa Climate Summit to raise awareness on the urgent need to transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy. PHOTO | EVANS HABIL | NMG
President William Ruto is rallying African countries to chart their path in investing in climate change adaptation and mitigation measures amid limited resources.
The President said on Monday at the launch of the inaugural Africa Climate Summit that the continent must now rise beyond the divisive debate pitting the global North against the global South, where the focus is always on who has polluted the most and who has borne the brunt.
“We are not here just to talk about Africa or climate change in the usual way, which often accentuates our divisions—North versus South, developed versus developing, polluters versus the victims,” said Dr Ruto.
“We are not here to catalogue grievances and list problems. We are here to scrutinise ideas, and assess perspectives so that we can unlock the solutions.”
Africa has over the past decade battled climate-related challenges, including drought, desertification, and increasing cyclones, leading to displacement, migration and food crises, even as economic growth suffered.
Economies in Africa, including Kenya, are regarded as the most vulnerable to climate change impacts under all climate scenarios above 1.5 degrees Celsius despite having contributed the least to global warming and having the lowest emissions.
Kenya’s economy is highly exposed to weather-related hazards and the implications of climate change, according to the International Monetary Fund, which estimates annual costs of repeated patterns events such as droughts and floods at up to 2.4 percent of the value of the economy.
Environment Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya says such exposures should push Africa to find solutions to climate change by listening to all voices, including the youth, indigenous communities and civil societies.
“We are persuaded that if we do not develop adequate response measures to deal with the climate change crisis, it will crush us all together,” said Ms Tuya.
But Dr Ruto’s call will have to be matched with goodwill and financial resources to unlock opportunities in climate-sensitive sectors such as agriculture, tourism, fisheries, energy and forestry.
This presents a big test for African governments who have had limited ability to respond to the climate crisis due to debt distress and economic shocks.
The continent needs between $160 billion (Sh23.32 trillion) and $340 billion (Sh49.6 trillion) by 2030 for adaptation, whereas the current flows are just around $16 billion (Sh2.3 trillion) annually, according to the Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance.
President Ruto told delegates that trillions of dollars globally are looking for green investment opportunities as the pressure to tackle the climate crisis deepens and Africa can capitalise on this for growth.
“We are brought together by a clear understanding and deep concern about the inadequacy of our present means in terms of institutions and available resources to deal effectively with the magnitude of our collective threats and challenges but we will not shy away from the difficult conversations and uncomfortable realities that must be addressed,” said Dr Ruto.
Africa has struggled to consolidate and assemble its ideas and bring them to the table when it comes to key issues including climate change—a scenario that has made it difficult for it to amplify its voice in the globe.
In 1992, more than 100 heads of state met in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for the first international Earth Summit convened to address urgent problems of environmental protection and socio-economic development but Africa has struggled to take a uniform stand 31 years on.
