OBSERVE POLLUTER PAY PRINCIPAL CS TOBIKO URGES

CS Keriako Tobiko Adressing the participants duning the workshop.

Environment and Forestry Cabinet Secretary Keriako Tobiko has called on industrialized nations to help pollution hit countries cope with the catastrophe as stipulated in the polluter pays principal.

“The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is very clear that countries that pollute the most must help the countries that suffer the most and pollute less in terms of financial contributions, capacity building and technological transfer” the CS observed.

Mr. Tobiko said industrialized and developed countries who measure their GDP in terms of profit margins rather than sustainability have a moral, ethical and legal obligation to pay for their emissions that adversely non-polluters.

The CS was speaking when he opened a regional workshop on indigenous women participation in a conservation program known as “Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) processes in Africa at a Nairobi hotel. It was attended Women from various parts of the world.

The workshop aimed at discussing how best to mainstream gender and strengthen the role of Women in REDD+ processes and subsequently the war on climate change.

“75~80% of worldwide emissions comes from G~20 countries, only 4 percent of the emissions comes from Africa, yet we bear the brunt and burden of the effects of environmental pollution and climate change” he lamented.

World Bank’s official Kilara Suit on his part said that climate change exposes women to discrimination since there is increased work load, as they work over time to ensure food is available.

“World Bank is keen on delivering capacity building programs and financial support to women on substance environmental conservation,” she confirmed.

University of Nairobi’s Prof. Patricia KamoriMbote noted that when you talk about environment without touching on women then something is amiss, further reaffirming that for women to be included adequately to environment conservation issues, there should be interventions to assist in achieving the goal.

“ There  should be a movement that advocates for not only women but also other key stakeholders that are underrepresented, high level political engagement to rally for women participation on environment conservation, intellectual engagement for women to make them more involved in environment conservation and also building networks to marshal women to participate in talks of environmental conservation,” she affirmed.

Kamori further added that women should be given right to own land since it would be a key factor in influencing how they can put land to optimum use.

The meeting brought together participants from 22 countries of Asia, Latin America and Africa.

participants following proceeding during the two day workshop on women participation in REDD+ processes in Africa.