[Nairobi: July 30, 2025] The School of Communication, Daystar University, will from August 13 to 15, 2025, host the 4th Annual Scientific Conference on Climate Change for Planetary Health. 

The conference is a fore-runner of COP 30 scheduled to take place in Brazil in November 2025, and the Second Africa Climate Summit (ACS) to be held in Addis Ababa in September 2025.

The Regional Director of Eastern Africa Regional Coordinating Centre, Africa Centres for Disease Control (ACDC), Dr. Mazyanga Lucy Liwewe Mazaba, will be the Chief Guest of the conference.

The three-day Conference will have two days in the Daystar University Nairobi Campus- Valley Road, and August 15, 2025 at Athi River Campus starting at 8:00 AM daily. 

The conference will feature keynote speakers, interactive panel discussions and paper presentations both in plenary and breakout sessions with leaders and executives from academia, government and industry.

Among keynote speakers lined up to address different topics include: Special Envoy for Climate Change in the Executive Office of the President in Kenya, Ambassador Hon. Ali Daud Mohamed, CBS.  Hon. Mohamed will give a global perspective on climate change and sustainable development.

Ambassador Prof. Bitange Ndemo, PhD., FKIM, CBS, currently serving as Kenya’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium and the European Union and Professor of Entrepreneurship at the University of Nairobi and  will speak on ICT’s Technological Viability in Climate Change Mitigations. 

The Dean, School of Tourism and Hospitality at Strathmore University, Dr. David Chiawo, who is also an expert in Biodiversity Conservation, Natural Resource Management, Climate Change, and Sustainable Development, will address Global Perspectives on Climate Change Resilience and Sustainability.

From Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, the Director of the Institute of African Studies, Prof. Nduka Otiono, will speak on Policy and scholarly stand points on global perspectives on climate change.

From the Media Council of Kenya, CEO David Omwoyo and elected chair to the World Association of Press Councils (WAPC) and East African Press Councils, two regional media forums with a global impact will speak on  navigating Climate Change in a media spectrum.

Other keynote speakers will be Dr. James Kaoga from the Institute of Climate Change and Adaptation, University of Nairobi, and Miss Blessing Seitah, a 10-year-old environmental enthusiast from Kajiado County.

In attendance from Daystar University will be the Vice Chancellor Prof. Laban Peter Ayiro, the Dean School of Communication Prof. Levi Obonyo,the Ag. Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic, Research and Student Affairs Prof. Samuel Muriithi, Deputy Vice Chancellor Finance, Administration and Planning Prof. Muturi Wachira, and the Associate Dean, School of Communication Dr. Lydia Radoli, among others.

The conference has attracted participants from diverse disciplines, key among them communication, sciences, education, economics, law, psychology, agriculture, health, business and religion.

A broad range of research papers on climate-related sub themes, and a themed Panel Discussion on planetary health across disciplines, will be presented at the conference.  Key topics for paper presentation will include;

• Global perspectives on climate change and planetary Health
• Governance, Policy and laws on climate change and Planetary Health
• Knowledge Management in the context of climate change and Planetary Health
• Climate Change Communication and media
• Climate Change and Language
• Climate Change and the Arts (Music, Drama, Poetry)
• Climate Change and Migration
• Climate Change Resilience and Livelihoods
• Innovation, Technology and climate Change
• Climate change Enterprise, Financing and Economy
• Climate Change and Education
• Climate and Health
• Climate Change and Faith
• Genz, Millennials and Climate Change Activism
• Children, Youth and Climate Change
• Climate Change and Renewable Energy

In addition, interactive activities that bridge science and society will be highlights of the conference, including: a tree planting activity with community engagement from the Kenya Forest Services (KFS), Tana and Athi River Development Authorities (TARDA), National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) among others. The conference is running a campaign on going green and will showcase artistic performances, such as music and drama.

A Pre-Conference Masterclass, has been scheduled by School of Communication from August 11 - 12, 2025, to be co-hosted in partnership with German Agency for International Cooperation, Kenya Editors Guild (KEG), and Deutsche Gesellschart fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).

For more information visit: https://conferences.daystar.ac.ke/events/4th-annual-daystar-university-scientific-conference-adusc-2025