By Obiabin Onukwugha
Kenya has urged African nations to adopt a unified and equitable approach to reducing methane emissions, warning against policies that could undermine livelihoods across the continent.
The call was made during a joint virtual session of Kenya’s Senate and National Assembly, held as part of the Regional Seminar for African Parliaments on Climate Action, on Tuesday.
The session, chaired by Mombasa Senator, Mohamed Faki, brought together lawmakers and stakeholders to deliberate on methane reduction and sustainable development pathways for Africa.
Speaking during the meeting, Environment and Climate Change Principal Secretary, Engr. Festus Ng’eno, emphasized that while methane reduction is critical to tackling global warming, Africa’s unique socio-economic realities must shape global climate policy.
He regretted that Africa contributes only a small fraction of global greenhouse gas emissions, but bears a disproportionate burden of climate impacts such as drought, floods, food insecurity, and displacement.
“Methane is the climate question of this decade. Gas is about 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period and contributes nearly 30 percent of global warming since the industrial era,” he said.
He cautioned against interpreting emission reductions during crisis periods as progress, citing the sharp drop in 2022 due to devastating drought that led to massive livestock losses. “That is not a climate success. That is a climate emergency,” he said.
The Principal Secretary reiterated Kenya’s position that methane mitigation strategies must not threaten food security or poverty eradication efforts, urging African countries to anchor their approach in equity as outlined in Article 2 of the Paris Agreement.
“Policies aimed at reducing methane emissions must not compromise the livelihoods of pastoralists, smallholder farmers, or rural households,” he said. “Africa will not pay for this crisis with her people’s livelihoods.,” he stated.
Engr..Ng’eno called on African parliaments to play a central role in translating international climate commitments into actionable laws and policies. He also urged legislators to leverage platforms such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union and Climate Parliament to push for increased climate finance, technology transfer, and shared solutions across the continent.
Environment and Climate Change Department of Kenya in a statement on Tuesday, said the three-day seminar convened by the Parliament of Kenya in partnership with the Inter-Parliamentary Union and Climate Parliament aims to strengthen the role of African legislatures in climate action.
Key objectives include building a common African parliamentary position on methane emissions, promoting policies that align climate action with sustainable development, and enhancing cooperation on climate finance, technology transfer, and capacity building.
