ENLIST VULNERABLE GROUPS VIEWS IN CLIMATE PLANNING CS- TOBIKO

The CS Keriako Tobiko addressing members of the Task Force on National Climate Change Action Plan. He urged them to make the report all inclusive.

Women and children bear the greatest brunt of climate change and should have their views incorporated in mitigation and adaptation action plans CS Keriako Tobiko has said.

He noted that gender mainstreaming was crucial in formulation of climate change action plans adding that it was imperative to enlist the views of the most vulnerable groups in the community as they held the highest stakes in the phenomenon.

The Environment and Forest CS was speaking when he was presented with a zero draft report of the National climate change action plan proposed for 2018-2022, by an Inter-Ministerial, multi-sectoral task force.

Mr. Tobiko asked the task force to consult further to include views of the most vulnerable groups in society including pastoralist communities during the planned county consultations across the country.

The CS who was accompanied by Chief Administrative Secretary in the Ministry, Mr.  Mohammed Elmi, enumerated political leadership in county and National Governments as critical in making the document acceptable before subjecting it to parliamentary scrutiny.

In order to have a regional and devolved structure, the action plan  should incorporate interests of devolved governance that include issues of  cities, human settlements, their technical and structural aspects, Mr. Tobiko advised.

The CS also recommended Inter-religious councils and the Media as candidates for the climate change views in an effort to extend public education and awareness.

Once completed, the National Action Plan will be subjected to a National Validation, parliamentary scrutiny and eventual approval by the climate change council chaired by the president.