Addis Ababa, April 21, 2026 (ENA) —UK Special Representative for Climate, Rachel Kyte, has commended Ethiopia’s Green Legacy initiative that has been operated at “the right scale of ambition” in the global fight against climate change.
In an exclusive interview with ENA, the Special Representative emphasized that Ethiopia’s large-scale tree-planting campaign reflects the urgency required to tackle the climate crisis.
“First of all is the scale of ambition. This is the right scale of ambition,” Kyte said. “We have a climate crisis… We need to wean ourselves off fossil fuels… and we need to restore nature because it plays such an important role in sequestering carbon pollution.”
In this respect, she noted that Ethiopia’s initiative to plant “millions and millions of trees” not only contributes to carbon absorption but also strengthens resilience against extreme weather conditions.
Kyte further underscored the economic value of such environmental efforts, stressing that properly valuing nature could unlock new revenue streams for developing countries.
“One of the things we’ve done wrong in modern economic history is we haven’t valued nature properly,” the Special Representative said, adding that “turning its capacity to absorb carbon into credits provides a revenue stream into Ethiopia and into the communities where the trees are being planted.”
The UK envoy also congratulated Ethiopia for being selected to host the 32nd United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP32), recalling the strong international support the country received during the announcement.
“We all stood up and applauded. We were excited,” she said. “This is a huge responsibility for Ethiopia… you are acting as the presidency for the world.”
Kyte affirmed the United Kingdom’s readiness to support Ethiopia in preparing for the global summit, drawing on its experience of hosting COP26.
“The UK government is ready to partner with Ethiopia wherever Ethiopia needs that partnership.”
Addressing climate challenges in Africa, Kyte highlighted the increasing severity of droughts and floods, attributing them to decades-old emissions.
“The worsening drought cycle… is coming from pollution that we put into the atmosphere 20 to 30 years ago,” she explained, stressing the need for aggressive emission reductions alongside adaptation measures.
She also pointed to Africa’s vast renewable energy potential, describing the continent as a “renewable energy hyperpower,” with abundant solar, wind, geothermal, and hydropower resources.
On climate finance, the Special Representative acknowledged structural challenges limiting capital flows to vulnerable countries, calling for reforms to the global financial system.
“There’s plenty of capital in the world… but it’s not investing in the developing world at the right scale. (And) by the time we get to small and vulnerable countries, that flow of finance has become a trickle.”
The envoy stressed that stronger global cooperation and fairer financial mechanisms are essential to ensure that climate action benefits those most affected. ENA
