Kenya Platform for Climate Governance plots on scaling up national activism

The Kenya Platform for Climate Governance (KPCG) held its annual review and planning meeting in Nairobi over the last two days from 21-22 February and the output was a blast. According to many participants, who were drawn from around the country, the planning meeting was very positive and for the first time, it shed some light on the way forward for the grassroot organisations affiliated to the platforms.

Stephen Kiboi Kariuki, Founder and CEO of the Mount Kenya Network Forum said members have for a long time been asking about a grant facility that would support their work at the grassroot.

“For the first time, PACJA has announced a plan of action which will be offering grants to members of the platform. This will now help us reach out to the communities we work with, specifically, the youth and women groups who are involved in seed fruits for reclaiming Mount Kenya ecosystem,” he said.

He added that the small grants will also be handy for the Community Resource Persons to support projects.

Brian Misiati, Founder of ArtSpace and a digital young activist noted the good promises the grant facility will bring but hoped they will be followed up with proper implementation plans so that members will be helped to do what they set out to do in the year.

He said youths have been marginalised on grants as most of the existing grants from various donors are prohibitive and marginalises the youth with attached conditions.  “Most grants normally ask for previous projects and references. For the youth start-ups, these are normally prohibitive,” he said.

The meeting held against the background of ripple effect of the twin challenge on climate change and COVID 19 pandemic which continue to disrupt the world economies and crippling the long decade efforts in combating the global climate crisis.

According to the IPCC 6th assessment report, it projects that in the coming decades climate changes will increase in all regions, for 1.5°C of global warming, there will be increasing heat waves, longer warm seasons and shorter cold seasons.

At 2°C of global warming, heat extremes would more often reach critical tolerance thresholds for agriculture and health.1 Further explained, the aspect of human-induced climate change is already affecting many weather and climate extremes in every region across the globe.

 Evidence of observed changes in extremes such as heat waves, heavy precipitation, droughts, and tropical cyclones, and, in particular, their attribution to human influence, has strengthened since AR5.

As witnessed, regions are facing increasing changes in climate systems where the climate crisis is deepening already existing inequalities and further compounding vulnerabilities within communities as well as the means of sustaining their livelihoods. With the global efforts to building back better in addition to making strides in greener recovery strategies, adapting to the potential effects of climate change should be emphasised at all levels of governance coupled with collective actions and efforts by CSOs, communities, and governments.

As underscored by the Glasgow climate pact and in line with the Paris agreement, this necessitates the implementation of the goals to reflect equity and the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities with respective capabilities in the light of different national circumstances, as well as the urgency of enhancing ambition and action in relation to mitigation, adaptation and finance in this critical decade to address the gaps in the implementation of the goals of the Paris Agreement.

Laying emphasis and building on the key outcomes of COP 26 in Glasgow, this presents plausible opportunities for CSO action (but not limited to) lobbying for an increased allocation of climate finances towards adaptation, as well as closing the gap to the $100 B and start of post- 2025 climate finance target negotiations. Justification 1 Climate change widespread, rapid, and intensifying – IPCC — IPCC 2 IPCC, 2021: Summary for Policymakers. In: Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change The Kenya Platform for Climate Governance, seeks to be a democratic, inclusive and transparent network of CSOs with a shared vision of a fair, equitable, ecologically-just, inclusive and gender-responsive response to climate change.

This is aligned to the vision of the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance, of whom KPCG serves as Kenya’s National Platform. The planning and review meeting, thus serves as part of the effort for KPCG to meet its statutory obligations as prescribed by PACJA – that it should adhere to the best-practice standards of governance, including periodic review of its thematic area mandates, work progress, enhance capacities within its memberships and commitment to achieving effective engagement in climate change dialogue and response strategies as aligned to national, regional and global policy instruments.

Premised on the KPCG engagement framework adopted in post COVID implementation period in 2020, this will be an opportunity to induct new platform KPCG members drawn across the country, to review the achievements and challenges over the implementation period of the year 2021, and chart the way forward in the overall annual engagements.

Also to be targeted in this engagement are the thematic coordinators (TC), young digital activists (YDAs) and community Resource Persons (CRPs).

To this end, Kenya platform for climate governance, purposes to convene a tw- day workshop, of the KPCG CSO platform members with the objective of;

Overall objective

To provide a platform for KPCG members to develop 2022 work-plan for effective engagement in climate change dialogue and climate justice issues.

Specific objectives

1. To evaluate the performance, achievements, gains, successes and challenges for the year 2021

2. To review and adopt the KPCG thematic profiles (Gender youth and marginalized, adaptation, mitigation, climate finance, Technology Knowledge management and Capacity building).

3. To unpack the African Activists on Climate Justice AACJ project and its components including outcome areas, objectives and theory of change

4. To review and validate the Climate Governance Landscape study

Expected outcomes

1. Contributions and consolidation of the platforms annual work plans

2. Increased understanding and capacities in executing platforms activities Target Participants The meeting shall target 40 participants, drawn from Counties and National levels. The participation will ensure balanced participation from membership in the KPCG thematic areas, consortium partners, (Natural Justice, Oxfarm, Femnet, PACJA) KCIC, concern worldwide, WWF, conservation international and other stakeholders.