The University of Nairobi has launched a training programme on climate resilience that is aimed at skilling government ministries and universities in adapting to the phenomenon that is keeping policy makers awake.
Known technically as resilience and adaptation mainstreaming programme (RAMP), the university is making the step at a time the Kenyan government estimates to have used Sh30 billion on climate mitigation within five failed rain seasons.
Through this tool, the UoN is primed to become a centre of excellence in solving and formulating climate adaptation policies.
Kenya is in the throes of a devastating drought that has exposed more than six million citizens to the pangs of hunger. Indeed, the weather people have warned Kenyans to reduce venturing out between 11am and 3pm, saying they risk suffering sunburns that could expose them to skin cancer.
A founder member of the University Network for Strengthening Macro Financial Resilience to Climate Change, the UoN says RAMP will build capacity in climate risk management.
Prof Stephen Kiama, the UoN vice-chancellor, says the programme leads to top research that helps in understanding the full impacts of climate change on economic development and financing for more resilient infrastructure.
“We have the opportunity to educate the next generation of policy and decision-makers with the latest thinking on these issues,” Prof Kiama said.
“The solution can be found with the universities as we conduct groundbreaking research on critical questions to understand the full impact of climate change on our economic development from the impact on our sustainable growth to how we might finance more resilient infrastructure and manage our public finances,” the don said.
RAMP, which is run under the departments of Economics and Development Studies, Environment, and Earth Sciences, and the Institute for Climate Change Adaptation, is expected to deliver high-quality training for Kenya to better manage climate change risks and access adaptation finance.
Mr Ani Said, the president and CEO of the World Resources Institute, says the programme will put governments, businesses, institutions, and people on the right path at a time world economies are spending huge budgets on responding to the fierceness of climate change.
“The University of Nairobi can be the centre to bring climate adaptation policies. We hope to develop the curriculum together, and I’m absolutely sure the university will be a leader at this.”
