Sheila Funnell appointed to high-level committee for environmental transformation in Laikipia
[NANYUKI, Kenya] We are delighted to share that Sheila Funnell, Head of Impact and Innovation at the Wyss Academy for Nature Hub East Africa, has been appointed to the Laikipia County Environmental Committee (LCEC). The committee is tasked with environmental transformation in Laikipia County on matters related to sustainable water management, mining, climate change, environment management and conservation, forestry, natural resources, pollution, and waste management. By providing technical support in areas including research, policy analysis, and resource sharing and development, the LCEC will contribute to national policies that target counties as engines of sustainable economic growth.
At a separate event announcing the committee, Governer of Laikipia County, H.E. Governor Joshua Irungu, EGH emphasized the need for informed and proactive leadership in environmental stewardship.
“Safeguarding our natural resources requires not only action, but also coordinated and knowledgeable leadership... equipping us with the tools needed to foster sustainability and resilience as we navigate the complex challenges of environmental management and climate change,” Governor Irungu said.
Funnell's selection to the LCEC is a result of a strong partnership developed between the Wyss Academy and the Laikipia County— initially through the support WA gave during the county spatial planning process—and reflects the Hub’s own activities towards land restoration in semi-arid Laikipia.
“The vision of the Wyss Academy is to have a just and sustainable future where human well-being and nature conservation reinforce each other. A key route to achieving this is through partnerships that influence policy decisions, as securing nature and human well-being at the policy level is a critical step in achieving these on the ground as well. Although county governance is decentralized, the opportunity to influence policy at national scales and implement successful initiatives is much better supported through county level partnership and collaboration,” Funnell concludes.
The inaugural meeting to mark the start of the Laikipia County Environmental Committee’s three-year term will be held on October 3, after which a county strategic environmental action plan will be developed.
Our hearty congratulations to Sheila on this remarkable appointment, and very best wishes to the committee as they take on this valuable role.
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