Time Magazine has recognized Kenya’s President William Ruto as one of the world’s 100 most influential leaders shaping global climate action.
This acknowledgment follows President Ruto’s leadership in a national holiday dedicated to planting 100 million trees in a single day.
The “Time 100 Climate” list, released on Thursday, features individuals making significant strides in the fight against climate change, with a focus on tangible achievements. Ruto shares this distinction with other notable figures, including Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, the mayor of Sierra Leone’s capital, Freetown, as well as architect Francis Kéré from Burkina Faso and Ethiopian climate entrepreneur Kidus Asfaw.
Time Magazine highlighted the honorees for their recent and measurable contributions to combating climate change, emphasizing actions that create business value. President Ruto’s inclusion recognizes his vocal efforts to address climate change in Kenya and Africa.
The tree-planting holiday led by President Ruto aimed at planting 100 million trees is part of a larger initiative to plant 15 billion trees in Kenya over the next decade. In September, he hosted the inaugural Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi, where a joint declaration called for increased commitments from major polluters to assist less affluent nations.
While President Ruto’s climate leadership is acknowledged globally, he faces criticism from some environmentalists who label him a hypocrite for advocating tree planting while allegedly failing to control illegal logging in public forests. An environmental court recently halted his directive to lift a 2018 logging ban.
Time’s recognition coincides with a warning from the World Bank that Kenya’s economic output could decline by 7.25% by 2050 if the country does not address climate change.
The “Time 100 Climate” list also acknowledges architect Francis Kéré for his sustainable design projects and Ethiopian entrepreneur Kidus Asfaw, whose start-up repurposes plastic waste into low-carbon construction materials. Sierra Leone’s Mayor Aki-Sawyerr is recognized for her efforts in tackling environmental degradation and climate resilience in Freetown.
