Kenya’s historic role in the climate change debate

Grace Akumu (November 2009)

Where: Barcelona 2009: 9th AWG KP & 7th AWG LCA (resumed)

Kenyan delegate Grace Akumu, a key member of the Africa Group, talks about Kenya’s historic role in the climate change debate, her role in the IPCC, and she discusses Kenya’s domestic problems related to climate change and she talks about the responsibilities of wealthy countries to confront the problems. She points out what she says are key flaws in the stances of wealthy countries, and she calls on a 40% reduction in rich country emissions, a figure she says is based on science, and she warns that “the world is not made for industrialised countries only.” Also see Artur Runge-Metzger, Head of EU Delegation; Director, Climate Change and Air Quality, European Commission, speaking from Barcelona in 2009. And John Ashe, UN Ambassador, Antigua and Barbuda, and Chair Ad-hoc Working Group on the Kyoto Protocol, speaking from Barcelona as well