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Kenya calls out Western leaders over failed climate promises

Sep 9, 2025, 7:22am EDT
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Kenya’s President, William Ruto, speaks at the Second Africa Climate Summit.
Tiksa Negeri/Reuters

Kenyan President William Ruto said Western leaders were breaking a “climate blood pact” by failing to honor promises to help African nations adapt to climate change.

Speaking at an Africa climate summit, Ruto said climate inaction was costing tens of thousands of lives, compounding development challenges for the world’s poorest nations after massive international aid cuts.

Though Africa accounts for less than 4% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, it is facing the brunt of climate change: Six of the 10 countries most vulnerable to a warming climate are in Africa, which has in recent years been buffeted by devastating droughts and floods, both of which are exacerbated by climate change.

A global map showing climate vulnerability scores.
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