Paris, France: President Uhuru Kenyatta Monday joined other world leaders in Paris, France to open the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) on climate change.
The leaders called for concerted efforts to reduce greenhouse emissions, and have responsible economic advancement that does not affect human life.
They noted that this would reduce frequent droughts, health problems and rising sea levels that are caused by climate change.
The leaders are gathered to reach a new and universal climate change agreement, in the knowledge that they have already delivered an almost universal set of national responses to meet the long-term climate challenge.
A total of 180 countries have already delivered their national climate change actions to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Fulfilling the action plans will keep the world within affordable reach of staying below a two degree Celsius temperature rise this century, the internationally agreed defense line against the worst climate impacts.
President Kenyatta told the gathering that Kenya is working towards enhancing geothermal, wind, solar and other clean-energy developments.
Climate change menace
“Kenya will continue making investments with both domestic and international resources to adapt to climate change and realise her abatement potentials” he said.
The COP21 President, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, called on governments to step up their efforts.
“The stakes are too high, and the menace of climate change is too great for us to be content with a minimal agreement. The Heads of State and Government who have come to Paris have come to express the voice of ambition,” he said.
US President Barack Obama called on world leaders to come up with a united approach to tackle climate change.
“Let us re-affirm our commitments for a common effort for a common purpose. Let us put our short-term interests behind. If the next generation lives better, we as leaders today will be proud. We must all strive to have a better environment,” Mr Obama said.
French President Francois Hollande who now takes over as head of the COP called on the participants to reach a solution that is good for the world.
“After this conference, let us have a resolution that will save our world, a world fit for our children and their children. We must find a solution to climate change,” he said
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UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged all countries and all sectors of society to act now to reach a new universal climate agreement.
UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres said the past year had been a turning point and that after many years of hard work, the world had finally seen that the direction towards a low-carbon, resilient future was irreversible.
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