NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 10 – President William Ruto has appointed Joseph Ng’ang’a as the Chief Executive Officer of the Africa Climate Summit set to take place in Nairobi.
The ACS Secretariat will be run by Ng’ang’a, the Vice President of the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), who will also oversee organizing and coordinating all events ahead of the summit in September.
He will work closely with Environment and Forestry CS Soipan Tuya and other stakeholders.
The African Climate Summit will be co-hosted by Kenya and the African Union in Nairobi from September 4 to 6, 2023.
“Tackling the devastating effects of climate change requires a sharper focus than ever before. Bolder, collective, and innovative action will help us to leapfrog to a cleaner and more resilient world for all. This is a race we must win,” President Ruto said in a tweet on Friday.
Continent-wide climate campaign
While speaking on his appointment, Ng’ang’a promised to lead preparatory efforts to ensure the summit generates transformative change by accelerating collaboration and climate action, mobilizing climate finance and renewable energy adoption, and implementing nature-based solutions.
“I am honored with this Presidential appointment to lead and deliver the Africa Climate Summit, which could not come at a more important time for the world. Climate change poses existential challenges to people and our shared planet but our response to it offers tremendous opportunities for growth and innovation if we all work together,” he said.
Ng’ang’a is also the chairman of the Funders Council for Sustainable Energy for All and a co-founder of the Africa Carbon Markets Initiative.
Present at Ng’ang’a’s unveiling at State House, Nairobi were CEO GEAPP Simon Harford and the Vice President of Rockefeller Foundation William Asiko.
Tuya noted effective climate action required action from the society.
“We are not leaving anybody behind, not the least our young people. I am extremely excited today that we have our young people on the table way before the summit,” Tuya said.
