President William Ruto has been honoured with the 2024 Presidential Green Industrialisation Investment Statesman of the Year Award.
In a statement on Wednesday, September 25, State House spokesperson Hussein Mohamed disclosed that the president was feted in recognition of his efforts towards climate action.
President Ruto received the award during the extraordinary session of the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC) in New York, USA.
In his address during the session, the president emphasized that Africa's climate-positive growth strategy was not merely a framework but a blueprint for the continent's economic growth and development.
He highlighted the escalating climate impacts across Africa and urged for resilient and sustainable interventions to address the challenges.
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"This is particularly urgent as climate impacts are intensifying across the continent, with Southern Africa facing devastating droughts while the Sahel and West Africa are grappling with floods that have displaced hundreds of thousands. North Africa is battling with heat waves and desertification, demonstrating the immediate need for resilient, sustainable interventions," President Ruto remarked.
At the same time, he stated that Africa’s energy systems require significant investment to tackle pervasive energy poverty and meet the demands of growing population.
"Last year, global investment in the energy transition reached a record USD 1.8 trillion, a 17% increase from 2022. However, Africa attracted less than 3% of this spending, accounting for only 0.6%— that is 2.7 Gigawatts of the 473 Gigawatts of new global renewable energy capacity in 2023. This stark disparity must be addressed," he explained.
The CAHOSCC session resolved to advocate for a strong, unified stance calling for fair and effective climate financing that matches the urgency and magnitude of the climate crisis.
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