Kenyan President William Ruto has called developed countries to account for climate change and pollution during an interview with local media on the sidelines of the African Union (AU) Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on February 19.
The Kenyan president stated that the global community can not be "reckless" and "indifferent" when it comes to tackling climate change.
"We want a system that is accountable, that holds the emitters who pollute the world to account. If it is not accountable, then it is corrupt," said Ruto, adding that African countries should be treated respectfully in climate talks. "We are at a place where we have no options," he noted.
The president also stated that more should be done to fight global warming, including a plan to cut planet-heating emissions from fossil fuels.
"Continuing the impunity of turning on fossil fuel, turning on coal, as is happening today, puts the whole globe at risk," Ruto stated.
According to scientific research, droughts, floods, storms and heatwaves will only intensify and become more frequent due to global warming.
The Horn of Africa is one of the most vulnerable regions to climate change, where extreme weather occurs more frequently and with more intensity. According to UN estimates, in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia, about 22 million people are at risk of starvation in areas affected by the worst drought in the last four decades.
The UN also has repeatedly stated that Africa is among the regions that suffer the most from the impact of global warming, while contributing only 2 or 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
At the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) held last November, developed nations agreed to establish a "loss and damage" fund with the aim of providing help for poorer countries most affected by climate change effects.