The newly appointed Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Environment, Climate Change, and Forestry, Aden Duale, has officially assumed office in a brief take-over ceremony held at Ministry headquarters in Nairobi.
Speaking during the ceremony on Monday, Duale pledged to tackle climate change and restore all degraded wetlands and riparian lands in the Country.
He said Kenya has made a significant contribution to climate change mitigation and adoption measures under the previous leadership of his predecessor, Soipan Tuya, who now moves to the Ministry of Defence.
“Climate change will remain the major focus for me, for it is not only an environmental issue, but also a very serious challenge that humanity faces today, and its impact is profoundly far-reaching and deeply personal to all of us.”
Similarly, he said that the government's practicable strategies, policies, and programs, including promoting renewable energy, advancing tree planting, and strengthening climate resilience, have laid a solid foundation for the country’s continued progress towards environmental conservation.
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Duale promised to strengthen the Climate Action Agenda, promote green growth, and ensure sustainable natural resource management by collaborating with government agencies, climate actors, private entities, civil society organizations, and donor communities.
“We will continue to strengthen our Climate Action Agenda, promote green growth and ensure sustainable natural resource management. We will mobilise climate finance resources from diverse sources and channel them to support our own initiatives.”
Further, he highlighted that climate change is a global challenge that demands international collaboration.
He promised that his Ministry would champion active national engagement and advocate for more support from developed countries to fulfill their climate finance obligation for sustainable mitigation.
Duale said it was imperative to reduce global emissions while providing financial and technological capacity-building support in line with international commitments.
Kenya is already a frontrunner in climate negotiations, even as President William Ruto chairs the Committee of African States on Climate Change.
On her part, Soipan Tuya expressed confidence that her successor will propel the Ministry to even higher levels.
She also promised to continue offering her support to achieve the National government’s ambitious plan of planting 15 billion trees by 2032.
