The Seventh and final Annual Devolution Conference has kicked off in Makueni Boys in Makueni County.
The last six conferences have focused on various issues with a key focus on the devolution journey, including the space of National and County Governments in the implementation of the Big Four Agenda and reviewing its implementation.
The 7th Devolution Conference will focus on Climate Action, in particular, the impact and the role of sub-national Governments in Climate Action.
The focus on climate action has been necessitated by the adverse impact of climate change in socio-economic development in Kenya.
This has resulted in poor living conditions in some areas, occurrence of floods, drought, unregulated release of industrial wastes and increased burden in health.
The conference will be critical in ensuring that sub-national Governments both local, regional and across the globe have a platform to discuss and deliberate on their role and how they can unlock opportunities to turn around the climate change effects in the communities.
Given the increasing nature-related hazards like floods, landslides among others facing Kenyans, it is time we saw concerted actions to legislate, fund and enforce climate-smart strategies and reduce greenhouse gas emissions at sub-national and national levels.
The objectives of this conference will include;
1. Enable County Governments to demonstrate bold climate leadership;
2. To deliberate on the impact of climate change mitigation measures;
3. To deliberate on how to strengthen Kenya’s capacity to develop a GHG inventory;
4. Provide a platform for government and private sector to commit on climate action strategies to be undertaken for the next year.
5. Mobilize two million trees to be planted in the host county before and during the conference.
