Kenya to set up climate Change centre
Fri, 09/05/2008 - 18:11
Story by Elizabeth Mwai, East African standard. (http://www.eastandard.net/news/InsidePage.php?id=1143992893)
Kenya does not have a national climate change policy although it bears the brunt of extreme effects of climate change.
They range from prolonged droughts to floods and increased disease epidemics.
Environment Permanent Secretary James ole Kiyiapi said they would respond to the situation by setting up a Climate Change Centre to help Kenya cushion itself against the negative impact.
The centre, whose establishment is underway, is expected to co-ordinate and provide critical information on climate change to users in a simplified manner.
"The impact of the prevailing drought over parts of the Horn of Africa region including Kenya is a good example how our region is vulnerable to climate extremes," Kiyiapi said at a workshop funded by Rockfeller Foundation.
The PS was addressing participants from 15 African countries attending a workshop, "Climate risk management, climate change adaptation for agriculture and downscaling outlooks for improved food security applications.
Kiyiapi said the centre would help develop a National Climate Strategy and Action Plan to integrate climate change into national climate policy to ensure sustainable development.
This, he said, would help meet demand for timely, accurate and comprehensive information on climate and water resources to complement information about economic, social and environmental dimensions of development.
The PS said there was need to demystify information on climate change for the population to understand their role in the adaptation process.
Research has shown that human activities in polluting the environment and unethical land use practices have contributed to changing the climate of the planet.
Kiyiapi said the country had begun witnessing the fast receding of the regional mountain glaciers in Mt Kenya and Kilimanjaro that are crucial water sources.
He said the change in rainfall patterns was "scary".
Kiyiapi challenged participants to prioritize the areas hardest hit by the effects of climate change to leverage for political support at the local and international level.
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Sat, 09/06/2008 - 20:33
#2
Climate Change
This is a welcome development because there is a vacuum in dissemination of information on Climate Change to the public. This is a bold step. The problem has been too much information circulating about the possible impacts of CC on Africa. With a Climate Change Center it will mean a better research program and projects to better understand this phenomenon.
The Kenyan Chapter should get more such stories on the NECJOGHA pages for us to share more with other colleagues in the region.
Patrick Luganda
India,Pakistan,Myanmar,Bangladesh,Nepal,Srilanka is also facing climate change problem and forests and illegal mining and overflowing of rivers and landslide in Himalayan region creating great problem for climate change crisis in south Asian countries.I am looking for cooperation with Climate change centre open in Kenya.However,India is big country and but can exchange ideas and policies with Kenya climate change centre because African countries doing more in climate change areas.I want to exchange ideas and policies and cooperation also with African jounrnalists who are working in the climate change in African countries.Pls send me your comments and take my comments for your features.I am looking for such type of environmental jounrnalists who can work with me and can share money on joint features where we get paid for the features.
with thanks
Anil Kumar Upadhyaya
freelance journalists
India
email: banfool12@yahoo.co.uk
Date-6/10/08