Sebastian Mwaura from Kenya and Zárate Palomec of Mexico are set to be feted at the UN Global Climate Action Awards during the UN Climate Change Conference COP28 in Dubai later this week.
The two individuals were selected from hundreds of applicants from 120 countries for their outstanding efforts to make their communities more sustainable, resilient and equitable places to live.
Mwaura, age 35, is the co-founder of Yna Kenya, whose primary objective is accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles by providing a robust charging network powered by renewable energy sources.
He also started the HerGo programme to bring women into the e-mobility transport sector, aiming to create 12,000 jobs for women as drivers and charging station owners.
“This initiative was born from our commitment to mitigating Climate Change by promoting renewable energy in the transportation sector,” stated Kabui, who won under the Award’s “energy transition” category.
“The widespread adoption of electric vehicles and the availability of a robust charging network plays a pivotal role in achieving a sustainable and carbon-neutral future,” he concluded.
Zárate Palomec, age 27, leads efforts within an organisation called Espacio de Encuentro de las Culturas Originarias to provide access to clean and sufficient water for highly marginalised indigenous communities in the state of Oaxaca, where water resources are scarce, and water pollution accentuates social and gender inequalities.
“The communities involved in the project benefit from affordable and innovative ecotechnologies for water sanitation, micro-watershed recovery and the ability to adapt to the main hydro-meteorological events to which they are vulnerable,” said Palomec, who won under the Award’s “resilient nature” category.
The two award winners will be celebrated at a ceremony on Friday, 8 December 2023, in the Global Climate Action area, Arena 1 (Al Hur).
UN Global Climate Action Awards are spearheaded by UN Climate Change to shine a light on the enormous groundswell of activities underway across the globe that are moving the World towards a highly resilient, low-carbon future.
In 2023, the UN Climate Change partnered with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and the Permanent Representative of the United Arab Emirates to IRENA.
The Awards recognise innovative and transformative solutions addressing Climate Change and wider economic, social and environmental challenges.
By KIOKO NYAMASYO
Source-https://www.kenyans.co.ke/
Kenyan Man Sebastian Mwaura to be Feted With Prestigious Award at COP28
