Sakaja Elected To Global Role Representing 700 Million People

Nairobi Governor, Johnson Sakaja was on Wednesday, June 14 elected the vice chair of the C40 Steering Committee.

The C40 Steering Committee provides strategic oversight to ensure C40’s mission and mandate are directly driven by and responsive to the needs of C40 cities.

Led by the Chair, Steering Committee members represent C40’s geographical diversity and lead on key organisational focus areas. It also provides strategic direction for the global network of nearly 100 cities committed to addressing the global climate crisis.

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja speaking during the UN Habitat Assembly on June 5, 2023. /JOHNSON SAKAJA

A statement by the committee hailed Sakaja as a governor working to realise a vision of Nairobi as the Green City in the Sun, a nickname derived from the city’s foliage and warm climate.

"Johnson’s commitment is to put the city at the frontline for the implementation of the Climate Action Plan (2020-2050) with the support of C40, and focusing on developing a roadmap to get Nairobi to net zero, creating green jobs, and strengthening local resilience," stated the organization.

While accepting the appointment, Sakaja admitted that Nairobi was one of the cities affected by climate change ranging from reduced availability of and access to water to the emission of gases.

“The city is more vulnerable to floods, extreme heat, and drought than ever. Without adaptation and mitigation efforts, these threats will become more volatile, and the citizens will face unprecedented challenges to their livelihoods,” a statement from Sakaja read in part.

“There is a new urgency. We need to put our heads together and figure out how to make our cities more resilient. We need to sit together to share expertise, experience, and finances so that the most vulnerable among us, and the environment are protected. And we need to do this now."

The climate action body noted that Sakaja will be a leading voice encouraging African cities to work together to fast-track climate action.

He will support the building of a community of practice that will share knowledge and experience, and secure the funding needed to build climate resilience and address loss and damage associated with global heating.

C40’s member cities represent 700 million citizens and one-quarter of the world’s economy. Through collaboration and innovation, the mayors of C40 Cities are determined to deliver on the Paris Agreement’s highest ambition and keep global temperature rise to below 1.5 degrees, and to do so in an equitable way.

Sakaja previously served as Senator of Nairobi and during his tenure in Parliament, he served as Chairman of the Standing Committee on Labour and Social Welfare and as Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee on National Security, Defence and Foreign Relations. He also served as the chairperson of the Kenya Young Parliamentarians Association.

He was nominated among the top 100 Future Leaders: The World’s Most Influential Young People in Government (2018) by Apolitica and awarded Change Maker of the Year 2016 at the African Achievers Award, in recognition of his leadership skills and youth empowerment in Kenya. He was recently named as one of Young Global Leaders Aliko Dangote Fellows for 2023.

Sakaja was elected to represent the 13 C40 cities in Africa, which include Nairobi as well as Abidjan, Accra, Cape Town, Dakar, Dar es Salaam, Durban, Ekurhuleni, Freetown, Johannesburg, Lagos and Tshwane.