PS Kiptoo, UK High Commissioner Marriott discuss climate change during Karura Forest walk

British High Commissioner Jane Marriott and Environment PS Chris Kiptoo met on Wednesday for a socially distant walk at Karura Forest.

The two held discussions on among other issues, the UK-Kenya partnership on climate change.

Marriott said she was delighted to be part of a team working with Kenya on pressing environmental issues.

She said that Kenya will play a role as a world leader on clean energy and as an example to other countries.

The British High Commissioner added that climate change is not only the greatest challenge facing future generations but it is already a daily reality in Kenya.

"The UK is working with Kenya to build climate resilience, and adapt to tackle many of these climate-related disasters. Together we can build a clean and resilient response to the Covid-19 pandemic,” Marriott said.

She added, "As Covid-19 hits health and income, people are also being impacted by locusts and affected by extreme weather events – which are becoming more frequent and severe, affecting the most vulnerable the hardest."

The PS said that Kenya and British governments are keen on establishing a strategic partnership in key priority areas of environmental conservation and protection.

Kiptoo added that Kenya and the UK are working on a joint implementation plan to support a reforestation target of 10 per cent by 2020, green financing, clean energy, climate innovation, climate policy, climate resilience and finding natured based solutions among other areas.

This comes as Environment CS Keriako Tobiko intensifies the move to preserve forest cover in the country.

The CS has instructed the Kenya Forest Service to gazette Kaptagat Forest as a critical water tower.

Speaking at the forest on Friday, the CS said it plays a critical role in water catchment as well as other ecosystem services.

Tobiko said KFS will replenish the forest with indigenous trees.

He said exotic trees will be replaced with indigenous ones."No exotic trees will be planted," Tobiko said. He said the indigenous trees will revert the forest to its  pristine state.