Nairobi, Kenya – African Leaders Rally for Locally-Led Climate Solutions at Resilience Summit

A united and urgent call for locally-driven solutions to the climate crisis has emerged from the Africa Climate Resilience Summit, held over two days in Nairobi. The high-level summit convened policymakers, scientists, faith-based organizations, and grassroots leaders from across the continent, all gathered under the theme:

“From Climate Crisis to Climate Resilience: A Local and Regional Approach.”

Opening the summit, Dr. Wilber Ottichilo, Chair of the Kenyan Environment Committee, underscored the reality that while the impacts of climate change vary regionally, the challenges—rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and extreme weather events—are shared across Africa.

“The cost of inaction is staggering,” Ottichilo warned, referencing projections by the African Development Bank that place annual climate-related losses between $5 billion and $10 billion by 2025, potentially surging to $50 billion by 2050 without decisive intervention.

His call for increased funding, support, and capacity-building resonated deeply with the summit’s participants. Prominent voices from institutions like the Pontifical Academies and the Network of African Science Academies (NASAC) echoed his message.

Dr. Jackie Kado, Executive Director of NASAC, emphasized that any meaningful progress must be “rooted in science, informed by local realities, and driven by inclusive partnerships.”

Throughout the summit, delegates stressed the importance of empowering local communities, especially those most vulnerable to climate shocks. The closing session culminated in a bold set of pledges to:

• Invest in sustainable and locally-appropriate solutions

• Expand community-level climate education and adaptation programs

• Strengthen partnerships across governments, civil society, and faith organizations

The Africa Climate Resilience Summit sent a clear message: Africa is no longer waiting for global answers—it is shaping its own path from vulnerability to resilience, grounded in local leadership, scientific insight, and shared responsibility.