President William Ruto has called on the global community to ensure the green transition is fair and economically just, as Kenya struggles with a worsening climate crisis.
Speaking during the High-Level Segment of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) in Gigiri, Nairobi, on December 11, 2025, Ruto stated that climate change is a daily reality for Africa, warning that Kenya had been forced to declare a national drought emergency just days earlier.
He added that the drought had been declared in 20 counties, leaving 2.5 million people at risk of hunger and water shortages.
“The green transition must be fair, accessible, and affordable, especially for countries in the Global South,” he stated.
Green transition involves moving away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and geothermal energy.
Ruto urged the world to translate commitments from COP30 into concrete action, noting that climate-driven disasters now cause billions in annual losses.
He cautioned that the global technological shift, including AI and digital systems, risks creating a new era of inequality if it is not aligned with environmental protection and human dignity.
Positioning Africa as a co-architect of global solutions, the President highlighted the continent’s growing leadership, underscored by the decision to host the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP) 2027 in Addis Ababa.
“We already have a strong foundation. Africa has demonstrated leadership in climate ambitions,” Ruto noted.
He pointed to conservation progress in Kenya, including a newly launched operation to protect black rhinos in Tsavo West, where over 100 rhinos were recently documented.
Ruto reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to an ambitious global Plastics Treaty and its readiness to host the resumed Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) negotiations.
He also announced plans to host the Our Ocean Conference and the International Clean Cooking Summit.
He urged UNEA-7 to send three messages to the world: Africa leads; multilateralism works; and economic dignity must guide climate action..
