Facilitator: Dominic Wanjiru, Climate Lead, Sustainable Travel and Tourism Africa
In his workshop session, Dominic opened by addressing widespread perceptions surrounding climate change, particularly the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events. He acknowledged the fear and sense of overwhelm that many individuals and organizations face when confronted with the scale of the climate crisis, noting that this emotional response often hinders meaningful action.
To create a shared understanding, Dominic clarified essential terms such as adaptation, viewed as short-term coping strategies, and mitigation, long-term planning to reduce climate impacts. He highlighted the need to align actions with Kenya’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), stressing that climate change poses tangible risks to the tourism sector and the livelihoods it supports.
The presentation turned a focused lens on the vulnerabilities of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), which often face heightened risks from climate-related disruptions, including potential business losses and operational instability. Yet, within these vulnerabilities lie opportunities, particularly in financing and the strategic importance of MSMEs understanding their emissions profiles to respond effectively and remain competitive.
Dominic went on to highlight Sustainable Travel and Tourism Africa’s (STTA) climate agenda, which is centered on empowering MSMEs and youth to become climate responsive. He made it clear that excluding these groups from climate solutions is equivalent to climate denial, given their vital role in the tourism ecosystem. He underscored that STTA is a signatory to the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism, a move that aligns the organization’s work with five defined pathways for climate action.
He emphasized STTA’s leadership in this space by noting the organization’s designation of the Sustainable Tourism Africa Summit (STAS) as a Glasgow Declaration Signatory Center since 2022. This platform has enabled STTA to coach and guide tourism actors in developing credible climate commitments. However, Dominic acknowledged the persistent gaps that hinder progress in climate action, including limited climate awareness and education, inadequate resources, and challenges in methodology and implementation.
To address these barriers, he mentioned STTA’s Climate Action Planning Toolkit, a resource designed to provide guidance, tools, and methodological support for organizations embarking on their climate action planning journey. He walked participants through practical steps in developing a Climate Action Plan, using the Glasgow Declaration’s five pathways, Measure, Decarbonize, Regenerate, Collaborate, and Finance, as the guiding framework.
Dominic’s session emphasized a step-by-step approach to action plan development that includes understanding current emissions, setting measurable and achievable targets, identifying major sources of emissions, and establishing systems for tracking progress. He encouraged participants to begin with manageable actions, using basic tools such as Excel spreadsheets for initial monitoring efforts. The creation of comprehensive climate reports, which clearly outline objectives, strategies, resource needs, and limitations, was presented as a key element of transparency and long-term success.