Kenyan president Ruto praised the UAE for its achievements in sustainable development and climate action.
William Ruto, the president of Kenya, and Dr. Sultan Bin Ahmed Al Jaber, the UAE’s minister of industry and advanced technology and the COP28 president-elect, have emphasised the significance of strengthening their cooperation during the upcoming African Climate Action Summit and COP28.
From September 4 to 8, Kenya will host Africa Climate Week in Nairobi as a way to gather momentum before the 2023 Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC, also known as COP28, which will take place later this year in Dubai.
The leaders emphasised the significance of such events in a joint statement released on Tuesday, noting that they give the international community a chance to agree on future paths that centre on doable solutions to the climate crisis.
Both Leaders have demanded that more be done to address the climate crisis, saying: “One of the biggest issues facing the world today is climate change. The African Climate Action Summit and COP28 will both be significant turning points in the year of the Global Stocktake, presenting opportunities for the international community to unite and offer a solutions-focused course forward.”
“We [President Ruto and COP28 President-Designate Dr. Sultan Al Jaber] are determined to work hand in hand to ensure COP28 and the African Climate Action Summit will deliver real and tangible results for the climate, for the people of Africa, and for the people of the world,” President Ruto continued.
Kenyan president Ruto praised the UAE for its achievements in sustainable development and climate action. The UAE submitted a new Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) with a 31% emissions reduction target for COP27. Ruto emphasized the collaboration to achieve the highest ambitions at Cop28.
Dr. Al Jaber emphasised the significance of the African Climate Action Summit as a turning point for the region and a significant step towards Cop28 that will hasten the energy transition and bring African solutions to the conference later this year.
The necessary tripling of installed renewable energy capacity by 2030 has been called for, and we are happy to announce that Cop28 and Kenya will work together to promote action in that direction, according to Dr. Al Jaber.
In order to organise a worldwide movement of action, “we call on all parties, in every region, to join this effort and work together.” Added he.
According to the claim, Africa has the ability to take the lead in this transition and bring enormous benefits to both the local community and the entire world.
Africa has significant carbon sink potential, including untapped geothermal, hydro, and solar potential in the Great Rift Valley, Congo, and Nile rivers.
As energy costs soar and many people go without electricity, clean energy offers a chance to accelerate economic growth and enhance people’s lives and livelihoods. However, less than 10% of the $120 billion annually needed for sustainability are invested in clean energy on the continent.
To spur the private investment required for climate action in Africa, we must transform the way we use public, concessional, and philanthropic capital. […] The interactions between financial institutions, governments, international organisations, and technology providers need to be fundamentally rethought.
According to the joint statement, “We must all do our part to ensure that climate action leverages and benefits all of society, including women, youth, and children, as well as indigenous peoples.”
Africa is the continent most at risk from the climate crisis, contributing between 2 and 3 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Food insecurity, poverty, and displacement have been brought on this year by droughts and floods.
As Africa becomes the continent with the most people by 2050, experts forecast 30% less harvesting in the upcoming years. Through just energy transition and climate finance, the Kenyan and Emirati partnership seeks to address these issues while accelerating green growth in Africa.
In the upcoming months, Mr. Ruto and Dr. Al Jaber promised to maintain their close political coordination “towards the delivery of a highly ambitious outcome in Nairobi and at Cop28 in Dubai.”