This week, our city proudly hosted the 59th Climate Reality Leadership Corps training held in Nairobi for the very first time. I was deeply honoured to speak at this historic gathering.
Over the years, I have had the privilege of being part of a dynamic and growing movement: a global network of Climate Leaders empowered by the transformative work of The Climate Reality Project.
These groundbreaking trainings, held in countries across the world, ignite passion, deepen knowledge, and equip changemakers with the tools to drive bold climate action.
Through education, advocacy, and an unwavering commitment to solutions, they are shaping a future where sustainability is not just an aspiration, but a reality within our grasp.
It was truly a remarkable convening, with over 500 passionate participants, most of them from Kenya.
Each one brought their unique energy and commitment to the fight for climate action. What made this event even more special was the remarkable milestone it achieved — the largest cohort of youth leaders in the history of Climate Reality trainings.
To see so many young changemakers stepping up, ready to lead, ready to shape a more sustainable future, was deeply inspiring.
Their voices, their vision, and their unwavering determination remind us that the future of climate leadership is bright.
More so, for me, the event held a personal resonance as it was graced by The Climate Reality Project’s Founder and Chair, the former United States Vice President, Al Gore, whose support of my mother, Wangari Maathai, and her Green Belt Movement began years ago.
In 1990, long before either of them could have imagined what lay ahead, then-Senator Al Gore visited the Green Belt Movement and he spent a day with grassroots members, learning firsthand about their work and commitment to restoring the land.
He found their work remarkable and was inspired to include it in his book, Earth in the Balance, a work which probed the roots of the environmental crisis.
A few years later, during his time as Vice President, Mr Gore felt the transformative power of the Green Belt Movement and envisioned how it could inspire Haiti to reclaim its forests and revive its landscapes.
Moved by this vision, he invited my mother to Haiti, where she witnessed firsthand the devastating effects of extreme deforestation.
It was an image that never left her — a land stripped bare, nearly every tree cut down. In their struggle to survive, families had planted crops wherever they could, even on steep, barren hillsides.
So, when the rains came, the soil had nothing to hold it, and it washed away, leaving behind a landscape scarred by loss and deep vulnerability.
Yet, even in the midst of devastation, she saw the possibility of renewal.
She understood that restoring forests was more than environmental work — it was the foundation of survival, dignity, and lasting peace.
Their collaboration would continue through the years, particularly in the darkest days of the Moi era, when my mother faced relentless persecution, risking her life to defend the integrity of our environment.
He let the world know that she was not alone, and his support gave her protection, visibility and strength. In the midst of that volatile period, Vice President Al Gore, my mother, and the women of Kanyariri, planted a Podocarpus latifolius - Mutengera in Kikuyu - a tall, proud East African yellowwood.
The tree still stands strong today, rooted, flourishing and rising upward. More importantly, it is surrounded by a forest, much like the growth of the Climate Reality Project and much like the continued thriving of the Green Belt Movement.
This week has been a powerful reminder of the central importance of solidarity. Of how we show up for one another in moments of struggle, how leaders and allies, both local and international, stood unwaveringly with my mother and the Green Belt Movement when they needed it most.
She fought for justice, equity, and environmental integrity, and it was the strength of that collective stand that carried her forward.
It is not lost on me that a majority of those at The Climate Reality Training are young leaders, the heartbeat of a movement that is in active motion in our streets today.
This training reinforces a fundamental truth: no matter where we come from, we share a home, a responsibility, and a duty to protect the earth. And beyond these walls, out in our streets, courageous young voices have once again risen in solidarity — this time, with the late Albert Ojwang.
They refuse to be silenced and refuse to be cowed. We stand in solidarity with our brother Albert Ojwang and as we move forward, fighting for economic equity, climate resilience, and democratic freedom, let justice be our shield, our defender, and our guiding light.
Ms Mathai is the MD for Africa & Global Partnerships at the World Resources Institute and Chair of the Wangari Maathai Foundation
