CUE CEO Kuria urge varsities to lead climate change agenda

The Commission for University Education (CUE) Chief Executive Officer Professor Mike Kuria has challenged institutions of higher learning have been urged to lead in the war against climate change and come up with green innovations and solutions.

Kuria noted with concern that in an era where climate change and environmental sustainability are defining the global agenda, Kenyan universities must be in the forefront in championing and amplifying the conversation for it to come to fruition.

“The recent climatic changes including floods and severe droughts in the country are a wake up call to responsible institutions including universities to come up with credible actions, policies and plans so as to win the war against climate change and deter the rising effects of global warming,” Prof Kuria stated.

He said that by doing so, the institutions will play a pivotal role not only in combating climate change, but also creation of green jobs for the youths, thereby reducing unemployment rates in the country and globally.

Speaking during a tree planting drive at Zetech University’s Mang’u campus in Juja, Kiambu County, Prof Kuria disclosed that CUE has entered into a partnership with the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) which will see distribution of over 20,000 seedlings to universities across the country for planting.

The move, he averred, is in tandem with the Government’s plans to plant 15 billion trees by 2032 to realize forest restoration and tackle the effects of climate change.

The CUE boss asserted that rapid changes in land use as well as increase of industries that emit carbon have contributed largely to deterioration of the environment thereby exposing the country to the severe effects of global warming.

“Deliberate and concerted efforts must be adopted so as to salvage the environment from further squalor as well as restore it. We have engaged KFS to secure seedlings for universities so that we can collaboratively engage in restoration and conservation of our environment,” Prof Kuria said.

He, at the same time, challenged higher learning institutions to plant trees that contribute to their core business which is teaching and research.

“It’s a good idea to think about the utility of the trees, in fact, in many places they say that if you can convince the community that there is a value to the tree that they are planting, they are more likely to take care of those trees,” he said.

The CEO also emphasized the need for Universities and other institutions of higher learning in the country to focus and embark on green innovations that will offer solutions on environmental and social matters.

He cited some of the green innovations at Zetech University including the AirSafi (air-purification project) and the Smart Pest Deterrent System.

“These inventions demonstrate the institution’s capacity to find solutions that address pressing environmental and social issues,” he observed.

Zetech University Vice-Chancellor Prof Njenga Munene concurred and said that the University has invested a lot in environment conservation, citing seedling orchards within the institution.

“Climate change is real and it’s here with us. We have witnessed floods and severe droughts in our country and its high time that we collaboratively engage to tackle this menace and we’ll achieve this through planting of trees and embarking on green innovations and solutions,” he said.

He noted that the University has been engaging the community in tree planting drives as a way of sensitizing them to actively participate in the war against climate change.

Prof Munene also reiterated that the institution is committed to creating technologies that serve society and promote environmental sustainability.