In a significant event, Environment, Climate Change, and Forestry Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya inaugurated the Wangari Maathai Institute for Peace and Environmental Studies at the University of Nairobi's Upper Kabete Campus. The institute, named after the renowned Nobel Peace Laureate Prof. Wangari Maathai, is poised to collaborate closely with the government to tackle climate change-related challenges and resource conflicts in Kenya and the wider region.
Addressing the gathering, CS Tuya stressed the importance of research focusing on the interplay between the environment, conflicts, and peace. She pointed out that the 6th IPCC Assessment Report underscores the increasing role of environmental factors in driving insecurity, leading to conflicts, especially in Africa. CS Tuya commended the efforts of various partners, including the African Union, the African Development Bank, the Clinton Global Initiative, and DANIDA, for their contribution to the establishment of the institute.
CS Tuya praised the institute's commitment to continue Prof. Maathai's legacy by promoting research, education, and community engagement in environmental governance, peace cultures, climate adaptation, sustainable development, and conservation. She also acknowledged Prof. Maathai's groundbreaking achievements, such as being the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize and earning a PhD in biology, making her a source of inspiration for environmentalists and scholars.