Speed up release of Climate Change funds, lobby group tells state

An environmental lobby group now wants the government to expedite the release of the climate change funds pledged by investors during the Africa Climate Summit.

Youth Education Network (Yen) programme officer Mike Mung'oma says that the quick release of the $23 billion (Sh3.3 trillion) will help them mitigate the effects of the looming El Nino rains.

“We were in the summit as an organisation and we are still in the process of accessing the promised funds for climate change campaign activities,” Mung’oma said.

“We are hoping that the government will expedite the disbursement of these funds as a matter of urgency given the rate at which things are changing, including the El Nino that has been predicted because climate change is no longer just a story but a reality,” he added.

Mung’oma spoke during a sensitisation event on the use of renewable energy as an alternative to paraffin and wood fuel at the Matungu cultural center in Matungu constituency on Wednesday.

Various stakeholders at the Africa Climate Summit made pledges totalling to $23 billion (sh 3.3 trillion) for green-growth, mitigation and adaptation efforts across Africa.

The money is supposed to support projects and also help communities mitigate the risks and reduce harm brought by climate change.

The biggest pledge came from the United Arab Emirates which announced it will spend a total $4.5 billion (Sh6.6 trillion)on climate change-related projects in Africa.

UAE'S head of national oil company, ADNOC Sultan Al Jaber announced part of that ($4.5 billion) will finance projects to unlock Africa's clean energy such as wind power, geothermal and solar.

Mung’oma further said that the bottom-up transformation model by the Kenya Kwanza government should trickle down to schools so that students are sensitised on climate change.  

He said schools should rethink the use of electricity as a source of energy and consider adopting the use of solar and bio-gas instead in the face of the sky rocketing cost of living.

Senior chief Indangalasia location Roselinda Okello asked the residents to quit using paraffin lamps as a source of lighting because they are unhealthy and unfriendly to the environment.

According to Okello residents should form environmental barazas to educate the masses on environmental conservation.

“We want environmental lobbyists to use schools events to educate people about the effects of climate change and how the same can be arrested because it is possible. This will ensure we have enough trees, improve our soils and produce enough food,” she said.

Josephat Oluchiri asked the government and other non-state actors in the climate change campaigns to use markets as venues to reach more people.

“Climate change remains a myth to majority of Kenyans who care less about its effects as long as they make ends meet,” he said.