Our Planet with Anthony Mugo

President William Ruto’s inaugural address to the 77 th Session of the UN General Assembly was bold, unapologetic and crystal clear. It focused on major issues bedevilling countries in the Global South and how the problems are directly related to the state of multilateral relations between rich nations in the Global North and poor countries in the South. Importantly, the speech drew particular attention to climate change at a time when much of the world has experienced the worst ramifications of its negative impact. These have included heat waves in much of Western Europe over the June to August 2022 period, mega-droughts in the US south-west and mountain west, leading to almost uncontrollable forest fires, heatwaves and dangerously low levels of moisture and fresh water across numerous states and neighbouring countries including Canada and Mexico. Most recently, the world watched in horror as the worst level of flooding ever witnessed in the country put large swathes of Pakistan

Although Kenya has been commended for having some of the most progressive laws and policies to combat climate change, the issue has not featured prominently enough in the agendas of those currently competing for various leadership positions during the current electioneering period. Given the far-reaching nature of the negative impacts of climate change, this situation is worrying. From a review of leading concerns among the citizens gleaned from social and mainstream media platforms, the high cost of food is one of the leading worries on the lips of most Kenyans. More specifically, the cost of maize floor has featured so much in recent months, underscoring the value of maize and its products, particularly floor, in the diets of most Kenyan households. Whereas those in government have blamed the international market for the current high prices of food, the impact of changing seasons, possibly occasioned by climate change, has not received sufficient attention. One of the effects of