As Kenya prepares to host the Africa Climate Summit from the 1st– 6th of September, CS Soipan Tuya confirms preparations are almost complete with over 9,500 delegates already registered and more anticipated.
During a media briefing by Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, and Forestry Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya, in the presence of Principal Secretary State Department for Environment and Climate Change, Eng. Festus Ng’eno and the African Union Commission Director of Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy, Mr. Harsen Nyambe.
She said the summit will present an opportunity for Africa to showcase its resources to the world and to drive a green growth agenda through a low-carbon development pathway that enables the world to decarbonize fast and cost-effectively.
The summit themed “Driving green growth and climate finance solutions for Africa and the world’’ is aimed at galvanizing African climate actions in response to the crisis faced in recent years as the continent and the world forges a path forward free of fossil fuels use.
Kenya is on the frontline having been through appalling times, faced with a prolonged drought that affected the majorly agricultural-reliant economy seeing up to 3.5 million people hunger-stricken and loss of wildlife and livestock. Led by President Ruto’s commitment to actionable solutions towards addressing the climate crisis, Africa Climate Summit is to delve deeper into structuring viable actions than just discussions.
CS Soipan Tuya further points out that Africa has vast arable land, and resources that present diverse opportunities for renewable energy in the continent and world at large since these solutions are what the world is seeking to enable a transition just enough and inclusive enough.
In addition, she revealed up to 8 Heads of state have confirmed attendance, as she calls on various global leaders to attend the Summit for it will entail conversations around financing and technological support for these diverse resources to be fully exploited to maximum potential for the greater good.
Citing the wildfires, heat waves, devastating floods, and other natural disasters that have been threatening to make parts of the planet inhabitable, evident in Africa, North America, Asia, and Europe, where unprecedented high temperatures have been witnessed.
“The United Nations estimates that we have lost 1.23 million lives in 7,348 major disasters worldwide over the last two decades, while the global disasters report shows that nearly 85 percent of all disasters have been caused by extreme weather and climate conditions over the decade,” added CS Soipan Tuya.
Reiterating that the media both regional and international is vital for its role in shaping the narrative on the space of climate change, through meaningful, impactful, and exclusive coverage. Thus urging them to urgently register on the website of Africa Climate Summit and await accreditation for attendance.
Emphasizing that through the summit there will be an insightful discussion around the climate change development nexus and show the linkage between Africa’s debt distress and its inability to have sufficient capital to conduct adaptation and mitigation interventions for climate change as a result of debt.
“Africa will be proposing a new global climate finance architecture that will be timely, responsive, and at scale in helping conduct global climate change interventions. Africa has the answers to the global climate crisis. What is lacking are financial resources to unlock the continent’s immense potential to help the world decarbonize and reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said CS Soipan Tuya.
