University of Nairobi is among 40 universities in 18 countries spread across 6 continents that established a global network to tackle climate change.

The International Universities Climate Alliance (IUCA) that was launched on Thursday, April 2, 2020 comprised of universities that have strengths in engineering, economics, law, social science and planning as well as climate science courses.

An article that was published by Times Higher Education revealed that as the world is dealing with the covid19 pandemic, it is paramount to remember that the globe is warming up and the issue of climate change needs a global approach to be coordinated.

The UNSW Sydney-led initiative has been in planning for two years. The Vice Chancellor, UNSW Sydney noted that, “This new platform is needed now more than ever as the world grapples with providing a coordinated approach to tackling climate change.”

Prof. Matthew England, an oceanography and climate dynamics specialist with UNSW’s Climate Change Research Centre drew parallels between Climate change and the corona virus. He noted that both need early action that will make the process easier right through to the economy.

“Another is that this is a problem we can solve by coming together globally and within communities, sharing scientific knowledge but also understanding what we’re all going through across nations. We will solve Covid, and we can also solve climate change with enough of a coordinated effort.”

Member universities include the California Institute of Technology, Cornell University, McGill University, the University of Edinburgh, King’s College London, the Sorbonne University, ETH Zurich, the University of Hong Kong, the National University of Singapore, the University of Melbourne, Monash University, the University of São Paulo, the University of Ghana, the University of Nairobi, TERI School of Advanced Studies in New Delhi, the China University of Geosciences and the Fiji-based University of the South Pacific.

10 more institutions are expected to join the alliance. Member universities have been drawn from emerging nations with surging populations and energy needs, which were teetering between “going for low-carbon sources of energy or making the mistakes we’ve made in Australia and the US”, Professor England said.

The UoN Vice Chancellor, Prof. Stephen Kiama welcomed the collaboration noting that as an institution in Africa, the University will bring the climate changes experienced in Africa to the global purview. He noted that as the university is dedicated to its core mandate of teaching, research and capacity-building it aims to prepare professionals who can masterfully respond to the nightmare of our times.