Devolution PS Teresia Mbaika has added her voice to the ongoing debate of a just transition into renewable energy, saying it is a smart move.
Speaking during a side event of COP29 in Azerbaijan dubbed ‘Climate resilience through a just energy transition’, she said the disruptions brought about by climate change are felt in every aspect of life.
The PS said it impacts families, economic activities and foundations of communities.
“For us in Africa, this challenge strikes at the heart of our aspiration for progress. We experience the repercussions not only in our ecosystems but on our ability to thrive, adapt and innovate,” she said.
Mbaika said the journey towards sustainable development is fundamentally tied to how energy and climate crisis is addressed.
She said problems facing countries to a large extent stems from mismanagement of natural resources, a disregard for the critical balance that sustains life on earth.
Vihiga Governor Wilber Ottichilo, who is also the chairperson of the Environment and Climate Change Committee at the Council of Governors, and Marsabit Governor Mohamud were present.
Mbaika said communities feel the heat even as Africa endures some of the heaviest economic losses due to climate impacts, averaging between five and 15 per cent of GDP per capita annually over the recent decades.
“These losses are not merely numbers; they translate to stalled growth, limited resources and curtailed opportunities for million,” she said.
Mbaika said Africa’s economic challenges due to climate change are compounded by unique vulnerabilities.
“Many of the most affected nations are already among the poorest and climate change exacerbates existing inequalities. This compels us, both as individual nations and as united continent, to take up responsibility of steering a just and sustainable path.”
Mbaika said the greatest potential mitigation is the energy sector.
She said energy is vital in building
resilience for key productive sectors
of African economies, including agriculture, where changing patterns
in rainfall threaten output productivity.
