Kenyan climate leaders push for urgent climate action, green jobs under Nairobi Declaration

 

Kenyan business leaders and civil society advocates have called for urgent action to address climate change and its economic impact with the Nairobi Declaration laying out the continent’s path forward.

Led by Jacob’s Ladder Africa, the stakeholders underscored Kenya’s role as a regional leader in the green economy, and its commitment to renewable energy, job creation, and community resilience.

Speaking during the Adaptation and Resilience Deep Dive Thematic Convening for ACS@1 on Monday at Radisson Blu, Nairobi, Sella Bogonko, CEO of Jacob’s Ladder Africa, stressed the urgency of job creation as a key opportunity within the climate action space.

The aim of the meeting was to assess the progress in adaptation and resilience initiatives since the 2023 Africa Climate Summit, focusing on knowledge exchange, best practices, and actionable resolutions.

Urgency of job creation and Africa’s carbon market potential

According to Bogonko, the climate summit presented new opportunities for green jobs, driven by both private sector investment in renewable energy and initiatives such as the African Green Industrialization Initiative launched by President William Ruto.

“For us, it’s no longer just a conversation; it’s an urgent priority,” Bogonko said. “The Nairobi Declaration and Africa’s carbon market potential could translate into job creation if the projects are implemented effectively. Our role at Jacob’s Ladder, alongside partners, is to keep momentum so that commitments at this summit are translated into tangible actions that benefit both Kenya and the continent.”

Speaking on behalf of KEPSA, Dr. Jacob Koimbori, Head of KEPSA Consult, Circular Economy and Climate Change emphasized the private sector’s significant role in emissions reductions, noting that approximately 77pc of global carbon emissions originate from private companies.

With a membership of over two million businesses, KEPSA has committed to educating and supporting its members in transitioning to renewable energy solutions, including solar, wind, and hydro.

Koimbori highlighted that this transition aligns with President William Ruto’s economic transformation agenda, which prioritizes green job creation and aims to reduce Kenya’s carbon footprint.

“The private sector is at the forefront of this conversation,” Koimbori stated. “We are educating our members to embrace renewable energy because this will help cut carbon emissions. Collaborating in initiatives like these, with the government and NGOs, strengthens our role in achieving sustainable growth and moving toward COP29 with actionable recommendations.”

Civil society’s push for community-level adaptation

Faith Ngige, the National Coordinator for the Kenya Platform for Climate Governance, provided a community-focused perspective.

She emphasized that climate change is already having a tangible impact on Kenya’s GDP, which could shrink by as much as 5pc by 2050 due to climate-related losses.

Ngige warned that communities are experiencing accelerated cycles of extreme weather events, with droughts and floods now occurring every three years instead of the previously observed ten-year cycles.

“The impacts of climate change are intensifying, and communities are feeling it firsthand,” Ngige noted. “This summit is an opportunity to move from rhetoric to action and to make sure that we are truly implementing the Nairobi Declaration. When stakeholders come together, we can build a more resilient Kenya.”

The stakeholders underscored the “diamond approach” to climate action, a model that integrates government, private sector, NGOs, and development partners to foster collaboration.

Dr. Koimburi credited Jacob’s Ladder Africa with helping to bring these stakeholders together in Kenya’s climate action efforts, creating a unified approach to driving green growth and tackling the most pressing challenges.

As Kenya and Africa look toward COP29, stakeholders hope that the recommendations from the summit will solidify into policies that support renewable energy adoption, industrial sustainability, and economic resilience.

By Christine Muchira