Climate Clock Kenya has strongly discouraged the move by the government to lift the ban on logging.
President William Ruto on July 2 lifted the nationwide ban on logging in giving a new lease of life to hundreds of saw millers locked out of business for five years.
Speaking on Saturday during the Climate Emergency Day, the East Africa Region lead Pauline Owiti said the move would accelerate deforestation.
"We call on the government to enact and enforce legislation to protect and restore biodiversity and critical ecosystems like the forests," she said.
Owiti said that businesses should integrate climate risk assessments into their operations and supply chains, fostering adaptation strategies.
The president lifted the ban on logging and said the ban was long overdue, and that it was time for saw miller to harvest mature trees.
Ruto said mature trees were rotting in the forest while locals who relied on forest produce suffered.
"Mature trees are rotting in forests while locals suffer due to lack of timber, see the foolishness in this Country. We have lifted the moratorium that was put in place," Ruto said.
A gazetted inspector of the environment on July 6 said the decision to lift the nationwide ban on logging in state forests will do more harm than good.
Benson Wemali said President Ruto’s ‘roadside’ declaration was reckless and has already started seeing the destruction of forests in Elburgon, Molo, Limuru and other places where the timber industry thrived before the ban.
“Those who are going to harvest trees are businesspeople, not environmental experts. This kind of declaration will negate all the gains we had made during the ban.
Owiti, therefore, said that there is the importance of collective responsibility and immediate action to combat climate change.
"We, therefore, call for urgency and recognition of the severity of the climate emergency and demand policymakers and businesses to take responsibility for their role in contributing to it," she said.
The Climate Emergency Day was aimed at raising awareness of the urgency of addressing climate change and need for immediate action.