It was a great honor for the University of Nairobi to be chosen as the host to launch the Rapid Adaptation Mainstreaming Program (RAMP) and screening of World Resource Institute (WRI's) stories on 8th Feb 2023 at Taifa hall
RAMP is a program that helps governments strengthen their capacity to deal with the serious economic threats posed by climate change. Additionally, it collaborates closely with regional universities, such as the University of Nairobi, to build capacity through enhanced climate-related curricula, teacher preparation programs, and applied research. By involving university faculty in the training of government officials, the program's advantages become more long-lasting.
The President & CEO, World Resource Institute (WRI), Ani Dasgupta posed pertinent questions on climate change and adaption and afforestation as we move to COP 28. He noted the year 2022 was the worst climate crisis experienced and poverty increased. ‘’the Ukraine and Russia war has also affected reservoirs of resources all over the world and the climate crisis continue to escalate’’ he said
He spoke also on the risks and dangers of the natural gas trap even as the EU council agrees to reduce natural gas demand which include; Future Overcapacity, stranded infrastructure and fossil fuel path dependency
The CEO also narrated candidly on the WRI stories which shed light on the stories that will have the biggest impact on the world and its people. The stories focused on actions governments, businesses, institutions, and people must take to get the world on the right path.
In his welcome remarks, the Vice Chancellor Prof. Kiama noted the University is already working on climate change related issues across its various Departments and Institutes like the Wangari Maathai Institute and the department of Earth Climate Sciences. Climate is thematic area for interdisciplinary research and the University has integrated climate studies in the curriculum for geography and meteorology. In deed
The VC also paid a glowing tribute to the late Wangari Maathai for which the institute is named after which conducts research on environmental governance and the nexus between the environment, global peace and democracy.
He further noted ‘’Climate change impacts are already affecting our economies and communities. We are reeling from the effects of climate-induced drought that has occasioned water as well food and nutrition scarcity. We have the opportunity to do better in the midst of the climate crisis. The solution can be found with the Universities as we conduct ground breaking research on critical questions to understand the full impacts of climate change on our economic development and providing our communities and governments with the best available information and guidance. As such, we are proud to be critical and founding partners of the University Network for Strengthening Macro-financial Resilience to Climate Change, a part of the Resilience and Adaptation Mainstreaming Program that we’re launching today’’ he said.
Managing Director for Africa and Global Partnerships WRI, Wanjira Maathai said ‘’The RAMP project will focus on the data gap in climate change. That gap has caused erroneous predictions and hindered climate adaptation efforts. It will also focus on the data gap in climate change which has caused erroneous predictions and hindered climate change adaptation efforts’’.
UoN is one of the 10 universities that WRI will work with in the continent and it will be the leader of the network
In conjunction with the launch, UON and WRI Kenya, signed a partnership agreement for the Resilience and Adaptation Mainstreaming Programme (RAMP) whereby will build capacity of researchers, address the data gap in climate change
About WRI
WRI is a global research organization that collaborates with governments, corporations, multilateral organizations, and civil society organizations to create workable solutions that enhance people's lives and guarantee the health of the environment. Seven global challenges serve as the framework for how we arrange our work: food, forests, water, energy, climate, the ocean, and cities. Our four Centers of Excellence—Business, Economics, Finance, and Equity—are used to analyze these problems.
About RAMP
The Resilience and Adaptation Mainstreaming Program (RAMP) was introduced by the World Resources Institute and its collaborators on November 11, 2022, in Egypt, during the COP27. It is a program that helps governments strengthen their capacity to deal with the serious economic risks posed by climate change.
The national governments of low- and middle-income nations can better address the harmful effects of climate change with the aid of RAMP. RAMP offers Ministries of Finance, Economics and Planning specific tools and practices to manage the economic impacts of storms, droughts, sea level rise, and life-threatening higher temperatures. This is because climate change is already posing a threat to governments' ability to manage their economies, control their finances, and pay their debts.
Through the University Network for Strengthening Macro-financial Resilience to Climate and Environmental Change, RAMP collaborates closely with local institutions in addition to working with governments, which is one of its distinctive features. The program's effects are made more long-lasting by strengthening university capacity through enhanced climate-related curricula, teacher preparation programs, and applied research, as well as by involving university academics in educating government officials.