Nairobi, 11 July 2019 –Responding to the news that State House has advertised a tender for the supply of charcoal, Greenpeace Africa’s Campaigner, Claire Nasike has said:
“With a moratorium on logging in place, it is in bad taste for State House to put up a tender seeking suppliers of charcoal. During the One Planet Summit at the United Nations Environment Assembly, the President committed towards the realisation of 10 percent forest cover in Kenya by 2020. It is ironic for the President’s official residence to put up such a tender, when Kenya’s forest cover is still below 10 percent. Logging for charcoal production exacerbates forest loss. The country is also battling droughts worsened by deforestation. State House should lead by example and encourage citizens to conserve Kenya’s remaining forests.
“Kenya’s government should put in place measures that will ensure full enforcement of the ban on logging. More importantly, the national government should ensure that the total ban on logging in all the community and gazetted forests is effectively implemented. State House should be at the forefront in supporting this moratorium by looking for cleaner alternative forms of fuel such as biogas.”
Notes to the Editor:
At the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA4 ) President Kenyatta indicated that his administration has identified forestry as a key sector of investment in the realization of the country’s development agenda and is implementing the national green growth strategy that has set clear restoration targets aimed at achieving the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Media contact:
Hellen Dena, Greenpeace Africa – Communication Officer, [email protected], +254 717 104144