Kenya on Tuesday appealed to more than 900 lawmakers from the Commonwealth to identify climate change as the key overarching concern for sustainable development.

Speaking in Nairobi when he officially opened the 56th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Conference underway in Nairobi on Tuesday, Kibaki called on parliamentarians to lobby their governments to commit themselves to reduce carbon emissions. "We are aware that climate change continues to threaten our survival.

As will be recalled, the Conference of Parties, held in Copenhagen in December last year ended in vain with regard to achieving a new climate treaty to replace the Kyoto Protocol which expires in 2012. Addressing climate change, therefore, remains an urgent matter," he said. "We must act responsibly to save our planet and the lives of our people. Parliaments must, therefore, take a more proactive role in lobbying their respective governments to commit themselves to reduce carbon emissions."

Kibaki said conference provides an important opportunity for the lawmakers to further dialogue on the climate change debate which would inform consensus building on a post-Kyoto deal on greenhouse gas reduction which countries would be obliged to implement.

The president called on lawmakers from across the Commonwealth to develop policies that will help strike a balance between development and environmental issues and their impact on climate change.

The Kenyan leader emphasized that a deep integration of social, economic and environmental policies is needed if sustainable development is to become a reality. "As we deliberate on climate change, it is important to address the sustainability concerns linked to our continued reliance on conventional sources of energy, especially the consumption of fossil fuels in our day-to-day economic activities," Kibaki said.

He noted that the over-consumption of energy derived from combustion of fossil fuels have led to diverse and complex consequences which impacts adversely on countries.

Kibaki said countries have the obligation to cut down on the use of fossil fuels through conscious investments in low-carbon renewable energies which are environment-friendly. "These renewable energies include solar, nuclear and hydropower, among others. This underscores the need for Parliamentarians to take a lead in the development of enabling policy and legal framework for investment in renewable energies," Kibaki said.

The Commonwealth meeting which ends on Sept. 19 will among other things discuss response to disasters and sustainable development.

The Kenyan leader spoke as analysts cast doubts over prospects for a successful conclusion of the UN-led global talks on climate change scheduled for Cancun, Mexico, in December.

But even as it pursues a substantive climate deal, analysts say the African continent is also grappling with recklessness disposal of hazardous wastes.

Like, Kenya, majority of the African economies are built on agriculture, natural resource extraction and tourism for economic growth, making global negotiation on climate change a critical topic.