Environmentalists from developing countries have demanded an $60 billion to help restore biodiversity at the ongoing United Nations Environment Assembly in Nairobi (see P2).
This is more than the $40 billion pledged by the rich countries at COP26 in Glasgow last November but far less than the $100 billion per year pledged at COP15 in 2009.
Dealing with climate change will be hugely expensive. It will cost globally around $844 billion every year. Certainly richer countries need to help poorer countries with this cost.
This money can go into climate change mitigation, pandemic prevention, and maintaining biodiversity to ensure continued availability of healthy food and fresh water.
But Kenya cannot just wait for foreign money to tackle climate change. The weather has already become erratic, invasive species and pests are spreading, water tables are reducing, and population growth is putting pressure on marginal land.
The government should put itself on an emergency footing. The share of the Budget for the Agriculture and Environment ministries should be massively increased. Kenya should switch to completely renewable energy, plant millions of indigenous trees that enhance biodiversity, and aggressively protect its water towers and tables.
Quote of the day: "The world will not accept dictatorship or domination."
Mikhail Gorbachev
The Soviet president was born on March 2, 1931
