Wetang'ula calls for climate accountability

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula during a meeting on climate adaptation and resilience at the 69th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Cape Town on September 16, 2026. [PBU]

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula has called for greater accountability from major climate polluters, warning that developing countries continue to shoulder a disproportionate share of the consequences of global warming despite contributing relatively little to worldwide emissions.

Speaking during a meeting on climate adaptation and resilience at the 69th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Cape Town, Wetang’ula urged countries responsible for significant environmental pollution to honour commitments made under international climate agreements and provide greater support to vulnerable nations.

Wetang’ula pointed to the Paris Agreement, adopted in 2015 as a legally binding international treaty on climate change, saying its commitments require major environmental offenders to take responsibility for addressing the consequences of climate change.

“The Paris Agreement, adopted in December 2015 as a legally binding international treaty on climate change, requires major environmental offenders to take responsibility for meeting their commitments,” he said.

Among the major concerns raised at the meeting was the widening gap between countries’ contributions to global emissions and the climate-related impacts they experience.

Wetang’ula said many Commonwealth nations with relatively low levels of pollution are facing extreme weather events, food insecurity and economic losses associated with climate change.

He called for increased climate financing and international support for mitigation and adaptation programmes, arguing that countries facing the greatest impacts require resources to strengthen their resilience.

The Speaker also criticised attempts by some major polluters to dismiss climate initiatives as a “hoax”, saying such positions could weaken collective international efforts to respond to environmental challenges.

“I challenge the Commonwealth to engineer a return to a multilateral approach to deal with the effects of climate change,” Wetang’ula said.

He further argued that climate change had moved beyond the stage of prolonged debate and required coordinated action by governments, legislators and other stakeholders.

“Climate change is no longer an issue for endless debate, thus, the need for greater accountability and concerted action by governments, legislators and other stakeholders to strengthen mitigation and adaptation efforts,” he said.

Homa Bay Senator Otieno Kajwang’, who participated in the panel, highlighted several measures Kenya has undertaken to help communities adapt to changing climatic conditions.

He cited investments in climate-smart agriculture, small-scale irrigation and the solarisation of agricultural value chains as initiatives that have produced positive effects in local communities.

“Kenya has invested in smart agriculture, small-scale irrigation and the solarisation of value chains as climate adaptation initiatives, which have had a positive impact on local communities,” Kajwang’ said.

The Senator, however, called for stronger parliamentary oversight of climate action. He urged the Executive to submit climate change action plans to Parliament within the required timelines to allow legislators to scrutinise and approve them.