Afotimber
Kenya has started the process of converting the Kenya Meteorological Department into a semi-autonomous government agency.
In a Thursday announcement, Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change, and Forestry, Soipan Tuya stated that the objective is to improve the incorporation of early warning weather and climate information technology within the institution.
The directive is also anticipated to generate new revenue streams for the government.
CS Tuya stated, “We are in discussions with private sector partners to execute a public-private partnership that will transform the meteorology department into a semi-autonomous government agency.”
The CS spoke at a media briefing hosted at the Serena Hotel in Nairobi on Thursday. The announcement preceded the sixth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-6), scheduled for 26th February to 6th March at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) headquarters in Gigiri, Nairobi.
“Kenya is considered a trailblazer in climate action. The Nairobi Declaration which resulted from the Africa Climate Summit and Africa Climate Week that we hosted last year are now key reference documents in multilateral policy discussions,” noted CS Tuya.
United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-6)
At the 2023 Africa Climate Summit, African leaders identified climate change as the ‘single greatest challenge facing humanity.’
They advocated for climate-positive investments as an adaptive mechanism to protect the lives, livelihoods, and assets of the continent’s 1.2 billion inhabitants.
The CS outlined the four main priority areas that the government will concentrate on during the upcoming global summit this month. These areas encompass renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, critical minerals, and the blue economy.
She also reiterated the government’s commitment to adopting carbon market regulations through parliament and collaborating with county governments, private sector organizations, and waste collection associations to formalize a circular economy framework.
President William Ruto is set to inaugurate UNEA-6, where more than 70 Cabinet Ministers and 5,000 delegates from around the world are anticipated to attend.
The forum serves as a platform for environment experts, policymakers, civil society, private sector representatives, and community leaders to participate in high-level discussions and negotiations that influence global environmental policy.
CS Tuya extended an invitation to participants to experience Kenya’s cultural offerings on display at the Kenya House within the conference venue and explore the diverse tourism attractions that the country has to offer.