The faith leaders in Kenya held consultatiton meeting that recognized the immense impact that the climate change crisis is having in the country and the enormous responsibility bestowed on our nation’s leaders to address the crisis.
The leaders, also took cognizance of the instability in Kenya, occasioned by desire to control limited resources in various communities and the Generation Z and millennial governance wave and notes its potential to exacerbates the negative impacts of climate change thus eroding the gains made in climate adaptation. As a community and with deep conviction, they believe that their sacred duty extends beyond the spiritual realm and into the stewardship of the planet.
Faith-based organizations have and continue to contribute to food security & agriculture; disaster and risk management; water, sanitation & hygiene; public health systems as well as tree planting interventions. This aligns with the inspiration in the word of God
Hinduism: “There is an inseparable bond between man and nature. For man, there cannot be an existence removed from nature.” (Amma, 2011)
Islam: “Devote thyself single-mindedly to the Faith, and thus follow the nature designed by Allah, the nature according to which He has fashioned mankind. There is no altering the creation of Allah.” (Qur’an 30:30)
Christian: “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.”
In Kenya, we are alive to the reality of the world we live in today, where climate extreme events are increasingly impacting the critical sectors of our economy and social well-being. These events, such as droughts and floods, have become more frequent and severe, leading to crop failures, livestock losses, and water scarcity across the country. These climate-related events disproportionately affect the most vulnerable among us, including smallholder farmers, women, children, pastoralists, and marginalized populations thus further exacerbating existing inequalities and hindering progress towards poverty reduction and a more inclusive society. This is made worse by our dependence on rain-fed agriculture, a sector that contributes approximately 33% of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and is a source of
Christianity is the main religion adopted in Kenya. As of 2019, over 85 per cent of the population identified as Christians, among which 33.4 percent were Protestants, 20.6 percent Catholics, 20.4 percent Evangelicals, and seven percent from African Instituted Churches. Furthermore, nearly 11 percent of Kenyans were Muslim. We believe that efforts to address Kenya’s climate adaptation burden need to be inclusive and multi-faceted, not only integrating scientific and indigenous knowledge but also incorporating religious values in community-based locally led climate solutions.
The Faith leaders applaud the government’s efforts and strides made in developing and enabling policy framework and policies and action plans to enhance climate resilience and adaptation across various sectors, including agriculture, water resources, and disaster management.
Although Kenya has shown tremendous leadership in helping communities adapt and thrive in the face of climate extremes, resource constraints and institutional challenges remain significant barriers to effective adaptation measures. This is further aggravated by Kenya’s debt burden, which presents a formidable obstacle to climate adaptation efforts, diverting financial resources away from critical adaptation initiatives. High cost of borrowing for Kenya and other developing countries heavily impacted by the climate crisis has strained government finances, constraining investment in climate adaptation measures. As a result, our country faces heightened vulnerability to climate-related risks, with limited capacity to mitigate the adverse impacts of these climate extreme events.
Our joint call to Action- a case for Value Based and Accelerated Climate Adaptation Action in Kenya
As faith leaders, we stand at the forefront of social responsibility. Our sacred duty extends beyond the spiritual realm into the stewardship of our planet. Our teachings across our diverse faith groups (Christian, Islam, the SIKH community and Hindu) implore us to care for the environment, this is not only a moral imperative but a spiritual discipline and an expression of our faith. By practising environmental stewardship and promoting sustainable living, we honour God and contribute to the well-being of our planet.
As passionate advocates investing in Kenya’s future, joined by faith imperatives, and guided by our collective responsibility to remain good stewards of our country and planet,
We:
Call upon our leaders to be accountable and transparent; We urge our leaders to honour their oath of office and respect our constitution. We ask that as custodians of our nation’s resources and well-being, you demonstrate ethical behavior, particularly integrity and openness in your actions. Transparent governance will ensure that climate adaptation initiatives are implemented effectively, with public scrutiny and participation fostering trust and collaboration. Additionally, accountability mechanisms will hold leaders at all levels of our governance accountable for their commitments, ensuring that climate funds are utilized efficiently and equitably to benefit us all and help the most vulnerable communities among us. By upholding these principles, you will foster a culture of responsibility and ensure that climate action serves the best interests of both present and future generations.
Implore our government to ensure that climate adaptation action starts at and with Grassroots Communities; for climate action to be effective, start at and with grassroots communities that are heavily impacted. We urge the government and all actors to be inclusive, we believe that where local communities are included and consulted, the resultant action will address the needs and realities of these communities. It is, therefore, imperative that climate action start with and actively involve grassroots communities, particularly, smallholder producers who are the backbone of our agricultural sector, they should be heard, their wisdom valued, and their livelihoods protected.
Urge the government to ensure Inclusion of Marginalized Groups, Women, Children, and PWD – In our pursuit of climate justice, we can not afford to leave anyone behind. Marginalized groups, women, Generational Groups (Gen Z & Millennial), and children are disproportionately affected by the adverse impacts of climate change. Therefore, any climate action plan should prioritize their inclusion and address their unique needs. By ensuring their participation and empowerment, we not only promote social equity but also enhance the resilience of our communities.
Implore our government to invest in research and Data Capabilities; To drive an effective climate response and make
Mindful that the current financial mechanisms fall short in adequately funding climate initiatives, especially in vulnerable regions like ours; We join our government in urging for drastic reforms in the global financing architecture to ensure climate vulnerable countries and communities can fairly access the needed resources to fund adaptation and mitigation efforts effectively and sufficiently. We urge that countries and funding institutions move away from the current framework that often lacks transparency, accessibility, and fairness, hindering our ability to tackle the climate crisis effectively.
Emphasize the need for effective national coordination mechanisms; We call upon the national government to prioritize strengthening existing coordination climate action mechanisms and efforts. This should build upon existing initiatives and leverage the expertise of diverse stakeholders across the country. Recognizing that numerous organizations, communities, and individuals are already engaged in climate-related activities, it is essential to foster collaboration, synergy, and coherence among these efforts to maximize impact and avoid duplication of resources. Moreover, fostering collaboration among stakeholders, including faith leaders & faith-based organization, government agencies, civil society organizations, academia, and the private sector, will promote inclusivity and ownership of climate initiatives, ensuring that diverse perspectives and expertise are harnessed to develop holistic and context-specific solutions to our climate challenges.
Aware of the realities of our limited capacity to effectively fund and respond to the climate extremes, we join our government in asking for ambitious mitigation ambitions from the world’s most affluent, industrialized nations, urging them to expedite their efforts to align with the 1.5°C target outlined in the 2015 Paris Agreement. Countries like Kenya bear the brunt of climate change impacts despite contributing minimally to global emissions, it is imperative that wealthy nations take decisive action not only to curb their carbon footprints and mitigate the devastating effects of climate change but provide the needed financing. They must also commit to provide financial and technological support to developing countries as they strive to transition to low-carbon and climate-resilient economies. This should include an ambitious New Quantified Goal at COP29 in Azerbaijan in November 2024.
