All set as Kenya joins the global community to commemorate world environment day

Environment PS Festus Ng'eno in his office.Handout

Kenya will on Friday join the global community in commemorating this year's World Environment Day at Arboretum grounds at Olkalau, in Nyandarua county.

The Day will rally the world around the urgency of climate action especially now that there are rising temperatures, collapsing ecosystems, and disruptive weather extremes, a move making humanity stands at a tipping point.

The day will be marked under the theme “A Global Call for Climate Action“ with a slogan: Climate Crisis and Solutions.

Environment PS Festus Ng'eno said on Thursday that the County was chosen because of its significance in hosting important ecological landscape that include Aberdare Mountain ecosystem and Lake Ol’Bolossat, bird biodiversity among others.

This year's global celebrations are going to be hosted by the government of Azerbaijan in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme, bringing the world together around the urgent need for climate action.

"The reason why we chose Olkalau in Nyandarua county for that matter is because of the important ecological landscape," Ng'eno said.

Ng'eno said Aberdares Mountain ecosystem is a globally significant water tower and a biodiversity hot spot that sustains millions of living beings across the country.

He said the county host magnificent mountains, forests, rivers, wetlands, such as Lake Olpolosat, an important bird and biodiversity area, and waterfalls are not only symbols of Kenya's natural heritage, but also a foundation of our food security, water security, climate resilience, and economic development.

Ng'eno said this year's theme is inspired by nature, for climate, for our future.

"The commemoration comes at a defining moment for humanity as I indicated, the boundaries of climate change. It is a call not just to reflect, but to act decisively, collectively, and urgently towards our climate action crisis solutions."

Ng'eno said the event is taking place when the world is confronting the triple planetary crisis, of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.

He said the crises are interconnected, human-driven, and accelerating at an alarming rates.

"The Paris Agreement commits to the world to limiting the global temperature rise to well below two degrees, while pursuing efforts to stay within the five degrees, because beyond this threshold, we are exposed to significant climate change risks and impacts of immense proportions."

Ng'eno said the most recent state of climate change report reveals that temperatures have risen by about 0.88 degrees since 1960, with recent years among the hottest ever recorded.

He said in some regions especially in northern Kenya, temperatures have exceeded 41 degrees.

"Evidence from the Intergovernmental Science Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services shows that the climate is driving severe losses in biodiversity, water and food systems, and the risks are projected to double with every 0.5 degrees increase in temperature, while extreme weather events continue to impose significant economic human costs globally."

The 2026 theme underscores that climate action is not just about reducing carbon emissions—it is about rethinking the systems that power economies and repairing our relationship with the climate.

By doing so, we can secure a safer, healthier, and more just future for all.

Lake Ol’Bolossat is unique for hosting a rich biodiversity and being the only lake in Central Kenya and is also the East African’s highest altitude lake of its size, lying at an average altitude of 2340 metres above the sea level.

The lake is unique in the sense that it is both salty and freshwater. It is uniqueness offers a variety of habitats making it reach in biodiversity.

It is the main catchment for the Ewaso Nyiro River that flows through key national conservation areas, among them Samburu National Park and Buffalo Springs, all of which are designated Important Bird Areas (IBAs) supporting lifelines for people, livestock and wildlife in most Kenyan dryland areas.

Being close to the Great Rift Valley, the lake sits along one of Kenya’s most important bird migration flyways, hence a suitable site for feeding and resting, and probably as a wintering ground for the Palearctic migrants.

It home to hippos and over 100 species of birds.

The lake is listed among the IBAs in Danger due to the ever-increasing threats it faces which include but not limited to siltation, encroachment, pollution, over-exploitation, human-wildlife conflict and invasive species.

Human-wildlife conflicts have also escalated, with hippos attacking residents, livestock, and destroying crops.

The state has been undertaking restoration efforts in the lake. Priorities include resurveying and marking lake boundaries, restoring degraded catchment areas, regulating water use, and reviewing illegal land titles.

The lake, covering approximately 4,800 square kilometres, has lost 68 per cent of its surface area. It is home to over 800 hippopotamuses, more than 300 bird species and mudfish, making it a vital hub for wildlife and nature tourism.