We Don’t Have Time Kenya Chapter youth, during a watch party in Nairobi
As world leaders gathered in Brazil for COP30, Kenyan youth seized their own moment of climate leadership back home. From November 10th to 21st, the We Don’t Have Time Kenya Chapter hosted a two week COP30 Watch Party in Nairobi, transforming a local conference centre into a vibrant hub of climate learning, dialogue, and activism.
The initiative, supported by the global climate movement We Don’t Have Tim provided a lifeline for hundreds of young people who could not afford to attend the UN climate summit in person in Brazil.
Equipped with computers, high speed internet, and following live COP broadcasts, participants followed discussions from Brazil in real time and unpacking complex negotiations, engaging with experts, and translating global climate debates into local action.
According to Patrick Kiarie, the African representative of We Don’t Have Time, the organisation’s mission is built on urgency and shared responsibility.
“We think we have time, but the effects of climate change are already so huge,” he said. “That is why we work to salvage our world. Today, I represent not just Kenya, but the African region.”
The Nairobi watch party, now an annual tradition since 2020, offered more than just streaming sessions. It created an interactive space where youth asked bold questions to the speakees, analysed global climate pledges, and explored how African nations can shape climate solutions.
Edwin Nyaguthii, the Partnerships and Community Outreach Department, noted that the event bridged a critical access gap.
“Most Kenyan youth cannot afford to attend COP in person. But through the watch party, the organisation gave us the infrastructure, screens, and internet we needed to follow every panel and negotiation,” he said.
Reflecting on Africa’s role at COP30, Nyaguthii emphasised that the continent’s demands were grounded in justice, not charity.
“Financing Africa is not charity but it is a strategy. Africa contributes the least to global emissions, yet suffers the worst impacts. This is our time. We deserve respect, resources, and investment.”
Other participants echoed the need for solutions backed by science and driven by informed youth. Zelda Nyambura, a member of the Kenya Chapter, stressed that science should guide climate policy, and digital platforms remain essential for reaching young audiences.
“Social media is the fastest and most effective way to spread climate information,” she said. “Through it, youths can share solutions, educate each other, and push for change.”
By the close of COP30, Kenyan youth who attended the watch party said they felt more empowered, informed, and ready to take responsibility in the global fight against climate change.
“This is our only planet,” Nyaguthii reflected. “There is no Planet B. What we do today determines the inheritance we leave behind and we must supports calls and campaigns like “Make science Great Again”.