Pact to enhance fight against climate change in Embu County

EMBU, KENYA: The fight against climate change in Embu County received a boost on Tuesday with the laying of a collaboration plan by the Kenya Climate Change Working Group (KCCWG) and the University of Embu.

The two institutions laid route to official collaboration which will span training, research and development, technical support in developing joint proposals, policy advancement, advocacy, extension, capacity building for staff, students, and members of KCCWG and the University of Embu as well as surrounding community groups such as farmers.

Prof. Daniel Mugendi the Vice-Chancellor, University of Embu applauded the initiative citing impacts of climate change that are already evident in Embu County and the surrounding environment including drying of rivers and land degradation.

Through the mutual activities undertaken by the University and KCCWG, I am confident of the likely turn-around in communities’ perception regarding climate change and the urgent shift in business as usual for enhanced resilience,” he said adding that the University is keen on mainstreaming climate change as a discipline within academic programmes.

John Kioli, Chairman Kenya Climate Change Working Group on the other hand expressed urgency by which synergy between civil society, government, private sector, and academia towards combating climate change must be prioritized.

He alluded to the timely collaboration through which University is envisaged to play a critical role in data generation to effectively inform advocacy and capacity building activities.

Elizabeth Wanja- Coordinator, Kenya Climate Change Working Group emphasised the significance of the partnership towards the network’s activities of which a series of capacity building events among the University fraternity has been prioritized. While applauding the duo for driving the on-course Sustainable Climate Action in Africa Conference (SCAAC) committee that incorporates a representation of staff from the two parties, a process that was to culminate into annual climate change publicity conferences.

Climate Change and Energy Specialist, Kenya Climate Change Working Group Amakobe highlighted the anticipated impact of the collaboration towards informing input into various technical committees at the national and county levels where KCCWG has representation given that Universities are widely known as timely producers of high quality and authoritative information due to associated integrity in research and extension.

The network is implementing a two-year institutional strengthening project through support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID-Kenya). Strengthening linkage between academia and industry regarding climate change sensitization and capacity building emerge as key components of the project.