10 November 2006, by Waithera Githaiga in Nairobi. 6000 delegates including heads of states, ministers and UN officials from around the world gathered in Nairobi, Kenya last Monday for a 10 day conference at the UN Complex, to discuss climatic changes that is resulting into global warming. The two-week conference on climatic change is the second meeting of the 165 parties to the Kyoto Protocol; it"s the first UN climate summit in sub-Saharan Africa.
To govern the global warming effect, the Kyoto Protocol was agreed upon by 189 governments at a 1997 UN conference in Kyoto, Japan. Kyoto Protocol is a pact that is out to observe that the reduction of greenhouses gases is emitted by developed countries to atleast 5 per cent below the 1990 levels by 2012.some 165 nations including Kenya have ratified it. The conference seeks to come up with common strategies for countries to control pollution and eliminate activities that lead to global warming.

Worst hit continent

Africa is the worst hit continent by the inconsistent weather patterns arising from greenhouses gas emissions, yet it only contributes 3per cent of such gases with 97 per cent coming from industrialised nations. Kenya is among the hot spots in Africa where people will be greatly affected but the climatic changes according to report that was published on Tuesday titled Mapping Climate Vulnerability and Poverty published by International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI). Major cultural and Natural heritage in Africa are among those seriously threatened, especially the touristic destinations attractions.

Greenhouses gases

Malaria cases in Kenya are likely to increase due to climate changes caused by gas emissions of greenhouses gases, the town of Lamu, Mt Kenya and Mt Kilimanjaro are among those seriously threatened by global climate.
Lamu is being threatened by rising sea levels while ice caps on the two mountains are melting.
Burundi and Rwanda landmass is most vulnerable in addition to large tracts of Ethiopia, Zanzibar is faced by rising water temperatures, and a national park in Congo is under threat.

El-Nino rains

Global warming has been blamed by scientists for extreme phenomena such as the El-Nino rains in Kenya, which caused Shs 17 billion worth of damage, Tsunami in Pakistan and Hurricane Katrina in the US, the last two caused death and destruction of property. Environment minister Kivutha Kibwana from Kenya was elected president of the global conference on adverse climate change. Kibwana takes over from Canadian Ms Rona Ambrose. He urged all to work together to avert climate disasters being caused by gas emissions.

Less talk and more action

As the talks continue our hope in Africa is that rich nations will come up to an understanding and reduce their gas emissions according to the protocol for the poor countries especially in Africa are the ones suffering. We appeal for less talk and more action.
Nobel laureate Wangari Maathai is among delegates expected to address the talks, as well as United Nations secretary general Koffi Annan is expected in Kenya for the ongoing climate change conference. President Kibaki will on November 15 open the high level segment expected to be attended by the key leaders.
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