The curious case of Kenya and climate

Who would have thought at last year’s COP in Egypt that an East African nation with little more than 50 million people would emerge as the continent’s green powerhouse? 

The new normal: Not a week passed this year without Kenya making news on climate. 

• President William Ruto displayed missionary green zeal on the international stage.

• One observer wrote: “Kenya positions itself as Africa’s climate champion.”

• Yet the president’s popularity at home is not what it was last year (to put it mildly).

Good COP: President Ruto and his advisers made their presence felt at COP28 in Dubai. Here are some of the little noticed but impactful roles played by Team Nairobi. 

1. Kenya signed up, along with other countries such as the US and Canada, to commitments for reducing cooling-related emissions (by 68% in 2050).

2. Kenya joined a group of countries calling itself BOGA (Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance) that want to phase out fossil fuel use. 

3. Kenya, along with France and Columbia, commissioned an “expert review” of debt, nature and climate, to provide policy recommendations to protect nature while addressing finances. 

4. Kenya, along with Brazil, Belgium, Nepal, Pakistan and South Africa, gathered top judges in Dubai to chart a path for climate-related litigation and climate enforcement actions.

Bottom line: Africa will benefit from having an eager and eloquent green czar. 

• But Kenya needs to be careful to bring along its people and the rest of the AU or risk losing unity and effectiveness.