Environment Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya has asked Swedish donors to offer Kenya the technical support needed for the successful co-hosting of the inaugural African Climate Summit.
Tuya said the summit to be hosted in Nairobi between September 4 and September 6, 2023 will deliver a "Nairobi Declaration" that will, among other priorities, consolidate Africa's common position ahead of this year's COP28 in the United Arab Emirates.
The CS said the Nairobi declaration will also provide the continent's green growth blueprint.
Tuya spoke in Stockholm, Sweden, during a meeting with SEI's global leadership team led by the institute's Executive Director Prof Mans Nilsson.
"In February 2023, the African Union mandated our President William Ruto in his capacity as the current Chair of the African Union Committee of African Heads of State on Climate Change (CAHOSCC) to convene the inaugural Africa Climate Summit," she said.
While confirming the country will also host the Africa Climate Week at the same time, Tuya said the September summit will discuss key outcomes from COP27, define priorities for COP28, and highlight opportunities for climate investment in Africa to steer the continent towards a climate resilient and socially just decarbonized future.
"The running theme of this upcoming summit is going to explore a more ecologically responsible industrialisation, one that promotes multi-sectoral climate resilience in agriculture, food systems, water resources amongst others," said Tuya.
In February while attending the committee of heads of states in Ethiopia Ruto said said an overhaul of the financial system was imperative to connect climate action and development finance.
The president said the present set-up of the global economic and financial system was inequitable and inadequate in the face of the challenges confronting the continent.
"We are adding our strong voice to the now urgent calls for the reform of international financial institutions and multilateral development banks, these reforms must proceed all the way to the radical overhaul of international financial infrastructure and institutional architectures to make sure that funds are accessible, affordable, mobilise relevant technology, are adequate and most importantly, timely, " said Ruto.
According to him, the situation is further exacerbated by geopolitical upheaval whose disruptive effect have impaired global logistics, driven up energy prices, pushing the cost of basic commodities beyond the reach of millions of severely impoverished people.
And Tuya who is on official visit to Sweden and Denmark sought SEI's support for her Ministry's priority including ecosystems restoration, circular economy, and acceleration of Kenya's climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts.
"I do recognize and appreciate the work that the Stockholm Environment Institute does across the world especially your research and policy engagement in Kenya. This includes support on strategic planning and on air quality management, and work on building resilience in the Arid and Semi Arid Counties through the IMARA project funded by SIDA Kenya," the CS said.
On the 15 billion trees campaign, CS Tuya said Kenya is determined to raise her tree cover from the current 12.2 per cent to 30 per cent by 2032 with Sweden's 68.7 per cent forest cover being a case study.
She said the move is in line with President Ruto's commitment while amplifying the aspirations of the UN's decade of ecosystem restoration.
With regards to enhancing Kenya's circular economy, Tuya said the country generates over 8 million tonnes of waste annually, an average of 22,000 tonnes daily.
She regretted that most of this waste ends up in the already overstretched landfills instead of being utilised as raw material in the production of energy and other outputs.
This, she said is attributed to the country's linear way of production and consumption patterns.
She said she will draw lesson from her visit that will inform the preparation of a Circular Economy Action Plan for Kenya in line with Green Economy Strategy and Implementation Plan (2016-2030).
According to her, Kenya is jointly developing the National Green Fiscal Incentives Policy to attract investments tom its circular economy.
As part of efforts to accelerate climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts, Tuya said Kenya is revising its 2016 climate laws among other reforms aimed at introducing progressive carbon market provisions.
