Eliud Kipchoge to join President Kenyatta in Glasgow for climate summit
Eliud Kipchoge will join President Uhuru Kenyatta and other world leaders at the UN Climate talks hosted by the UK to take collective action to tackle climate change.
Kenyatta and Kipchoge are expected to arrive in Glasgow on 1 November ahead of UN climate talks, and the legendary Kipchoge will join President Kenyatta to press for action to halt and reverse forest loss.
Kipchoge has been at the forefront of conservation and restoration of forests, adopting 50 hectares of land in Kaptagat forest which received part of KES 550 million worth of UK funding to support Kenya’s climate transition was announced during President Kenyatta’s visit to London in July.
Kenyatta will be received by the High Commissioner of Kenya to the United Kingdom Manoah Esipisu ahead of Kenya’s participation in the climate summit.
“Looking forward to welcoming President Uhuru Kenyatta today when he arrives in Glasgow, Scotland, to headline Kenya's participation in the climate summit,” Esipisu said.
President Kenyatta is expected to speak at the World Leaders Summit, where he will set out the ambitious actions Kenya is taking to tackle climate change and showcase Kenya as a leader on climate action in the region.
Kenya has led from the front in tackling climate change in the region, and it was the first African country to pass a Climate Change Act back in 2016.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will thereafter host President Kenyatta on November 2 and other leaders at a high-level event on innovation.
The President is expected to be joined by senior members of the Kenyan government throughout his two-day visit.
Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Forestry Keriako Tobiko hopes that the conference will see pledges honoured to enable adaptation, especially on the African continent.
"COP26 is a make or break for humanity and the planet. The time to take action is now. We hope that this conference will see pledges honoured to enable adaptation, especially on the African continent. COP26 must produce concrete results,” Tobiko said.
British High Commissioner to Kenya, Jane Marriott, said despite Kenya leading from the front in tackling climate change, it remains to be one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to these effects.
"The stakes over the next two weeks have never been higher, Kenya as a leader on tackling climate change is also one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to its effects. The UK welcomes President Kenyatta to Glasgow as we work together to negotiate a fair, inclusive deal to save the planet," Marriott said.
