President William Ruto of Kenya believes Africa can be a powerhouse in clean energy production if changes are made to international finance. But Kenya has the benefit of a jumpstart on renewables with geothermal power generating 80 percent of its electricity. At the same time, Ruto has faced criticism for democratic backsliding and lifting a ban on logging.

This interview with Somini Sengupta of The New York Times was part of the Climate Forward event.