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National Climate Change Response Strategy Executive Brief Government of Kenya National Climate Change Response Strategy Executive Brief April 2010 3 ‘together we can tackle climate change’ 4 ‘together we can tackle climate change’ 6 ‘together we can tackle climate change’ List of Tables and Figures TABLES Table 1 Annual costs of climate change projects and programmes (2009 estimates) ................ 24 FIGURES Figure 1 Temperature trend for Nairobi from 1960-2005 .......................................................9 Figure 2 Rainfall trends in Lamu and Garissa over the past half century ..................................9 Figure 3 GHG emissions trend in Kenya ............................................................................ 14 Figure 4 Proposed climate change governance structure ..................................................... 23 Introduction and Overview of the Strategy Context of the National Climate of the cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister, Change Response Strategy which endorsed the Strategy. The National Climate Change Response Over 3000 stakeholders were consulted – Strategy (NCCRS), also referred to as the government representatives and agencies, ‘Strategy’, is the culmination of a year-long members of parliament, the private sector, process to develop a comprehensive and faith-based organisations, non-governmental concerted suite of strategies to respond to the organisations (NGOs), development partners, challenges climate change is posing to Kenya’s farmers’ representatives as well as ordinary socioeconomic development. The NCCRS is a Kenyans especially from rural areas who significant step in the recognition that climate represent the most vulnerable to the adverse change is a threat to national development. effects of climate change. It has presented evidence on climate change and associated impacts. In addition, it has proposed a concerted programme of activities Overview of the National Climate and actions to combat such impacts and an enabling implementation framework. Change Response Strategy The resultant National Climate Change Response Strategy (NCCRS) is divided into The formulation process ten chapters. The Strategy has outlined The NCCRS was developed in a participatory the evidence of climate change (in terms of manner. The process involved a total of thirteen temperature and rainfall variation) in Kenya, workshops. The first national workshop was climate change impacts on the country and used to initiate the process, and was followed recommended actions that the country needs by nine regional consultative workshops, one to take to reduce these impacts as well as take in each of the eight provinces of Kenya, except advantage of the beneficial effects of climate for Rift Valley Province where two workshops change. These actions range from adaptation were held because of the province’s expansive and mitigation measures in key sectors, to nature. The second national workshop was necessary policy, legislative and institutional a consensus workshop where stakeholders adjustments, to ways of enhancing reviewed the contents of the draft NCCRS climate change awareness, education and document to verify that it had captured all or communication in the country, to necessary most of the aspirations they had articulated capacity building requirements, and to ways of during the regional consultative workshops. enhancing research and development as well In addition, one consultative workshop with as technology development and transfer in members of parliament was held as well as a areas that respond to climate change, among crucial consultative meeting with members many others. 8 ‘together we can tackle climate change’ 1. Climate Change: A Global Perspective A synopsis of the global perspective of climate United Nations Conference on Environment change has been provided. The purpose is to and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro, enhance understanding of climate change in and the establishment of the United Nations a global context, and to define key terms and Framework Convention on Climate Change concepts relevant to the understanding of the (UNFCCC). Since then, there have been a problem of climate change. series of Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UNFCCC, which have produced ‘Accords The discussion here focuses on the climate and Protocols’ (i.e. Marrakesh Accords, Kyoto change negotiation process and outcomes, Protocol and the Copenhagen Accord). international agreements and policies, and most importantly the positions Kenya needs Key issues that have continued to shape to adopt in order to maximise benefits. the global climate change regime are The Strategy traces the origin of climate also explained. These include mitigation, change debate starting as an international adaptation, finance, technology development environmental and developmental challenge and transfer, governance as well as the role beginning with the publication of the of land-use and land-use change and forestry Brundtland Report in 1987 through to the (LULUCF) in climate change mitigation formation of the Intergovernmental Panel especially in developing countries. on Climate Change (IPCC) in 1989, the 1992 98 ‘together we can tackle climate change’ 2. Evidence and Impacts of Climate Change in Kenya 2.1 Evidence of Climate Change there is a general positive trend (more rains) during September to February. This suggests in Kenya that the “Short Rains” (October-December) The evidence of climate change in Kenya season is extending into what is normally hot is unmistakable. Temperatures have risen and dry period of January and February. throughout the country. Rainfalls have become irregular and unpredictable, and when it Moreover, measured by the volume of rainfalls rains, downpour is more intense. Extreme in a 24 hour period, more intense rainfalls and harsh weather is now a norm in Kenya. occur, and more frequently, over the coastal More specifically, since the early 1960s, both strip and the northern parts of the country minimum (night time) and maximum (daytime) during September - February. This means temperatures have been on an increasing frequent occurrence of severe floods in those (warming) trend. The minimum temperature has areas. No significant trends in the 24-hour risen generally by 0.7 – 2.0 oC and the maximum rainfall amounts are observed in other areas of by 0.2 – 1.3 oC, depending on the season and the country. Figure 2 below shows changes in the region. In areas near large water bodies, the rainfall patterns in Lamu and Garissa. maximum temperatures have risen much like in other areas but the minimum temperatures have Figure 1: Temperature trend either not changed or become slightly lower. As 2.2 Impacts of Climate Change for Nairobi from 1960 to 2005 an example, the changing temperature trends – increase in both T and on Kenya min for Nairobi are shown in Figure 1. These changing climatic (rainfall and T , but decrease in diurnal max temperature) patterns have had adverse range of temperature (Data and As regards rainfalls, the most visible feature impacts on Kenya’s socioeconomic sectors. figure from the KMD) is the increased variability year to year, and Moreover, current projections indicate that during the year. There is a general decline of such impacts will only worsen in the future Figure 2: Rainfall trends over rainfall in the main rainfall season of March- if the world does not implement measures Lamu and Garissa over the past May (the “Long Rains”). In other words, that result in deep cuts in anthropogenic half century (Data and figure drought in the Long Rains Season is more Green House Gas (GHG) emissions, which are from the KMD) frequent and prolonged. On the other hand, responsible for climate change. Figure 1 Figure 2 Key: DJF means December-January-February, while MAM stands for March-April-May 10 ‘together we can tackle climate change’ In Kenya, the adverse impacts of climate l Kenya’s rangelands support millions of change are compounded by local environmental pastoralists and agro-pastoralists who travel degradation (illegal encroachments and long distances in search of pasture and settlements, logging and livestock grazing), water for their cattle. Receding rangelands which have among others, further aggravated threaten the very basis of the livelihood deforestation and land degradation. Forest and the way of life of the pastoralists. cover in Kenya for instance, has fallen from 12% in the 1960s to less than 2 % at present. l The Kenyan coastline is characterized by This has considerably affected the ability of a rich diversity, including fish, coral reefs Kenya’s five main Water Towers to act as water and mangrove forests. But the Kenyan catchments for major rivers and lakes, which are coast is one of the most vulnerable to sea the main sources of water for daily consumption level rise in the world. For example, it is in rural and urban areas. estimated that about 17% of Mombasa or 4600 hectares (ha) of land area will be Thus, the impacts of climate change, submerged with a sea level rise of only 0.3 compounded by local environmental metres. degradation, are profound. In summary, some of the observed as well as projected climate l Kenya is a water-scarce country. The natural change impacts on Kenya include: endowment of renewable freshwater is low, and water resources are unevenly l Kenya has a landmass of about 582,350 distributed in both time and space. Climate km2 of which only 17% is arable while 83% change will worsen this already precarious consists of semi-arid and arid land (ASAL). situation as it affects the main hydrological
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