A professional warns that air pollution-related deaths will escalate if emissions are not addressed.
Dr. Anderson Kehbila, the research director for the Africa cluster on energy and climate change at the Stockholm Environment Institute, stated at a Nairobi seminar that deaths will rise if methane emissions remain unaddressed.
He emphasized, “Climate action also presents a significant public health opportunity.”
Kehbila spoke at the opening ceremony of the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s two-day regional seminar focused on methane.
The seminar, themed ‘African Parliaments for Climate Action: Reducing Methane, Promoting Development,’ officially began today at Ole Sereni, attracting MPs from across Africa, government representatives, and international development partners.
Kehbila cautioned that, without intervention, air pollution-related premature deaths in Africa could increase from 930,000 annually by 2030 to 1.6 million by 2060.
“By implementing integrated climate and clean air measures, we can prevent 200,000 premature deaths by 2030 and 800,000 by 2060 while enhancing food security and climate resilience,” he added.
The Kenya Medical Research Institute reported over 26,000 deaths in 2024 due to hazardous air pollution, with the number likely to rise without action.
In 2016, hazardous air pollution caused 16,000 deaths, increasing to 21,000 in 2019.
At the methane seminar, experts highlighted that global warming directly impacts livelihoods, health, food security, economic stability, and sustainable development.
They noted the close link between air pollution and climate change, often driven by the same sectors and activities.
Senate Speaker Amason Kingi stated that methane emissions have become a central issue in global climate discussions.
“Methane is a potent greenhouse gas released from sources like livestock digestion, decomposing waste, manure management, rice cultivation, fossil fuel extraction, and wetlands,” he explained.
Kingi, represented by Senator Mohamed Faki, pointed out that while methane remains in the atmosphere for a shorter time than carbon dioxide, it is significantly more effective at trapping heat.
Scientists estimate methane is over 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period, making its reduction one of the fastest and most effective strategies for slowing global warming.
Kingi stressed that methane emissions should be a priority, especially since many African economies rely heavily on agriculture and livestock production.
“This issue requires legislative focus, political goodwill, and collective action across the continent,” he said.
Millions of households in Africa depend on livestock for food, income, transport, trade, and cultural identity.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation estimates that 55 to 65 percent of methane emissions in Kenya come from livestock through enteric fermentation, with 15 to 25 percent from waste, five to ten percent from manure, and less than five percent from rice cultivation.
Senate Clerk Jeremiah Nyegenye highlighted the unique responsibility of parliaments to provide leadership.
“Our role is to voice our citizens’ concerns and guide Africa towards a more resilient, inclusive, and prosperous future,” he stated.
The clerk also noted that the seminar presents an important opportunity to strengthen parliamentary ties among African legislatures.
