By BRIAN NGUGI

More by this Author

Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta will lead talks on Africa’s crucial role in tackling the climate crisis at the United Nations climate conference (COP26) starting in Glasgow, Scotland, next week.

President Kenyatta and Evgeny Lebedev, the British-Russian tycoon owner of the Evening Standard and The Independent newspapers, will convene a side event to discuss the importance of protecting Africa’s carbon-rich natural landscapes.

The event staged by Kenya, and The Independent and the international conservation NGO Space for Giants will also discuss how private and public sector investment can help preserve crucial carbon sinks.

The sideline meeting will be held at the African Development Bank’s COP26 pavilion on November 3 from 1 pm - 2.30 pm local time.

“It will draw attention to the value of Africa’s carbon sinks and launch a focused initiative to fast-track the development of their carbon offset sectors across the continent through the launch of national investment processes,” said the organisers.

Giants Club

Representatives from nearly 200 countries meet in Glasgow, from October 31 to November 12 to flesh out the rules of a new global climate pact. 

Mr Kenyatta is a member of the Giants Club alongside the presidents of Botswana, Gabon, Uganda, Mozambique and Rwanda. Lord Lebedev, a shareholder of The Independent, is the Giants Club’s patron.

The forum brings together political and private sector leaders to support nature conservation in Africa.

Next week’s COP26 event will feature contributions from the heads of state, or their senior representatives, from all the Giants Club countries.

“COP26 must focus on an African solution to our global climate problem,” Mr Lebedev said in a statement.

“We need to preserve Africa’s carbon sinks if we are to stand a chance of saving our planet. Together, African governments, the private sector and the global community can help to sustain Africa’s natural habitat – and combat climate change.”