Counties told to take leading role in fight against climate change

 

Cabinet Secretary in charge of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry Soipan Tuya address the press in Kisumu today on issues of Financing Locally-Led Climate Action{FLLoCA} Program. With her are Governors Wiberforce Ottichilo of Vihiga, James Orengo of Siaya and other Governors from the Lake Region-Story and Photo By Dickson Odhiambo

March 25, 2024

 

Counties told to take leading role in fight against climate change

 

Counties across the country have been urged to take a leading role in the fight against climate change across the country.

 

Cabinet Secretary in charge of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry Soipan Tuya urges the counties to embrace and implement fully the financing Locally led Climate Action{FLLoCA} to help in addressing issues of climate change at the grass root level.

 

Addressing participants during a breakfast meeting for the implementation modalities for Agro Restoration of Ecological Zone around Lake Victoria Region KfW-FLLoCA program, the Cabinet Secretary said it is crucial to emphasize that counties bear the brunt of climate change impacts.

 

“I'm fully aware of the commendable efforts counties are undertaking to address climate change. The determination and enthusiasm shown by counties in undertaking the PCRA process within tight timelines, establishing the necessary legal and policy frameworks, as well as dedicating a minimum of 1.5% of their development funds to climate change, are truly remarkable,” Tuya says.

 

The Cabinet Secretary says aligning policy and legal developments with adequate funding for local-level actions is indeed the right approach.

 

She says Kenya urgently needs action, especially at the local level where vulnerabilities are most acute.

 

The Cabinet Secretary has commended county governments for creating and resourcing County Climate Change Units.

 

“My Ministry will be working with you to strengthen these units. We see the CCCUs and Ward Climate Committees as entry points for a number of our upcoming programs,” she adds.

 

She has asked the FLLoCA team from the Ministry of Environment to work with various counties to integrate the County Environment Committees and the County Climate Change Committees.

 

“I want to see FLLoCA deliver impact-at-scale and we must be able to see tangible results in every county but also be able to aggregate the results to demonstrate the contribution to our national objectives on ecosystem and landscape restoration as well as our ambitious tree growing target,” she further says.

 

 

The CS has congratulated Bungoma County for doing well and securing Kshs. 320 million, adding that if they got such an amount for the three years of FLLoCA it would be just under one billion.

 

The CS says the County can work together to deliver tangible results on issues of climate change.

 

 “I wish to acknowledge Vihiga County for its commendable efforts in the earmarked project aimed at rehabilitating the Maragoli Hills. This initiative serves as a noteworthy example of impactful flagship intervention,”  the CS says.