KENYAN goat herders are suing the European Union for failing to protect their homes and livelihoods from the impact of climate change.

The Guyo family from northern Kenya, close to the Ethiopian border, are among dozens of people taking the EU to court saying that heatwaves are becoming more extreme locally, affecting the health and education of their children.

Roba Guyo explained: "We face more and more extreme heat in our region. This threatens our lives on several levels.

"Water is missing for herding and drinking — most importantly my children's health is in danger."

Temperatures frequently soar to above 40° Celsius in the region making it increasingly difficult for children to walk to school.

“If the situation doesn’t improve and we continue like this, we are hopeless,” Mr Guyo said.

In 2017 3.4 million Kenyans were reported to be food insecure as a result of climatic conditions.

The 10 families taking action claim that the EU climate change target of reducing carbon emissions by at least 40 per cent by 2030 is inadequate and fails to protect their fundamental rights.

They want the EU to increase the current target to 60 per cent by 2030.

The Guyos are joined by French lavender farmers and reindeer herders from the nomadic Sami community in a case dubbed the People’s Climate Case.

African farmers have previously clashed with the EU over the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) which sees huge subsidies lavished onto its biggest landowners at their expense.

The CAP takes up half the EU budget and sees a £30-billion-a-year subsidy allowing companies to dump thousands of tonnes of subsidised food in Africa, making it harder for local producers to export goods.