Ozone Day: NEMA warns against eomplacency in protecting environment
By Joel Masibo, September 12, 2025National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has called for environmental conservation amid the destruction threat to the Ozone layer.
As the world marks 40 years since nations came together under the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer, agreeing to take appropriate measures to protect people and the planet from harmful UV radiation pouring through a potentially damaged ozone layer, NEMA has reminded the country to remain true to the mission.
World Ozone Day is commemorated annually, a day that promotes environmental awareness and action to safeguard human health, ecosystems, and the planet.
”This year, on the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, we celebrate this historic achievement and look forward to another forty years of action. The Montreal Protocol and Vienna Convention remain crucial for monitoring ozone and UV radiation levels, as well as ozone-depleting substances and other chemicals, such as hydrofluorocarbons (greenhouse gases), being phased out under the Kigali Amendment,” NEMA said in a statement dated Friday, September 12, 2025.
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Combating climate change in FRICA
On Monday, September 8, 2025, Kenya joined the continent and the world during the opening ceremony and leadership Summit of the 2nd Africa Climate Summit (ACS-2) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The Summit marked a decisive moment for Africa to unite in pursuit of climate justice, resilient development, and a sustainable future for generations to come. The gathering championed African-led solutions to climate change-related challenges.
Meanwhile, as NEMA calls for environmental conservation, a 2024 World Health Organisation (WHO) report on combating household air pollution (HAP) revealed that around 23,000 Kenyans die annually due to exposure to smoky kitchens and inefficient stoves that burn wood, charcoal, or kerosene. This surpasses the 20,478 AIDS-related deaths recorded in 2023 by the National Syndemic Diseases Control Council (NSDCC).
The ozone treaties have epitomised the concept of moving from Science to global action- and they will do so for many years to come. In Kenya, the World Ozone Day national celebrations will be held on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, in Nairobi at the John Michuki Memorial Park under the theme, “40 years of the Vienna Convention: From science to global action.”