Kenya's National Climate Change Response Strategy

Government of Kenya National Climate Change Response Strategy April 2010 Government of Kenya National Climate Change Response Strategy NovemberApril 2010 2009 2 ‘together we can tackle climate change’ 2 © Government of Kenya, 2010 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, without the prior permission in writing of the Government of Kenya. Foreword The integration of climate information into NCCRS including the linkages between the Government policies is important because NCCRS and the Vision 2030; adaptation and climate is a major driving factor for most of mitigation interventions; communication, the economic activities in Kenya. Climate education and awareness programmes; information has, however, not been easily vulnerability assessments; research, technology understandable. The same has not been development and transfer; policy, legislation adequately factored into most of the sectors of and institutional framework; as well as action the country’s economy including Government plan, implementation framework and resource development policies and plans. The current mobilisation plan, respectively. Government’s blue print called ‘Vision 2030’ is no exception. The purpose of this National The recommendations given in this document Climate Change Response Strategy (NCCRS) should be translated into policies that would is to put in place robust measures needed benefit our communities and trigger the to address most, if not all, of the challenges process of active involvement in factoring posed by climate variability and change. climate information into all relevant activities. For climate change threats to be appreciated, It is important for me that this Strategy has the document has recommended massive been developed through a very participatory awareness campaigns so that the public can process conducted countrywide. We have be sensitised and mobilised to adapt to and had two national workshops, nine regional mitigate against impacts of climate change. workshops as well as workshops with parliamentarians and clusters of stakeholders It is important to note that this is the first time including the Government, private sector, this country has developed a document of this civil society organisations, development kind dedicated to addressing the threats posed partners, youth groups, women’s groups, faith- by climate change as well as taking advantage based organisations, and the media, among of any opportunities that may arise. Future others. These workshops were held to gather climate change programmes and projects will information on the impacts of climate change have to be developed in line with the provisions as well as on recommended interventions. of this Response Strategy. Consequently, this Strategy is now the key Government climate It is also important for me that a number of change agenda guide in the country and will line-ministries have provided their programmes inform nationwide climate change programmes and projects towards sector-wide adaptation and development activities including the to and mitigation against climate change. The formulation of documents such as the National Action Plan of this Strategy builds on these Climate Change Policy and efforts towards the programmes and projects, among others, and attainment of Vision 2030. For this reason, the shows to me the Government’s commitment Strategy shall be circulated widely to as many towards tackling climate change. stakeholders as possible to enable extensive reading. This document is divided into ten chapters. Chapter One looks at the history of climate change, challenges and international efforts to combat climate change. The remaining chapters give details on evidence and impacts of climate change; strategic focus of the 4 ‘together we can tackle climate change’ Acknowledgement Climate change is considered one of the most the high priority the Ministry has accorded to serious threats to sustainable development climate change and its associated impacts. It is globally. Studies have shown that about 90% my hope that the document will be found useful of all natural disasters afflicting the world are in delivering the country out of the vicious related to severe weather and extreme climate cycle of poverty exacerbated by the changing change events. Impacts of the projected climate climate and its associated severe impacts on change are expected in many sectors such as livelihoods and economic development. environment, human health, food security, economic activities, natural resources and The preparation and publication of this Strategy physical infrastructure. For example, among the have taken efforts of various entities and I would key findings of the Fourth Assessment Report like to acknowledge their efforts. I take this (AR4) (IPCC, 2007) are: opportunity to thank all those who participated in the production of this Response Strategy: • Millions of people globally will be exposed CAMCO as a consulting firm, stakeholders who to increased water stress, participated in the consultative workshops, the • Access to food in many African countries NCCRS Advisory Committee, the NEMA staff who will be severely compromised, and organised the regional consultative workshops, • Adaptation to climate change will be officers of the Climate Change Secretariat at necessary. the Ministry headquarters, all Ministries that contributed concept papers on climate change Kenya acknowledges that the change in the projects and programmes to be undertaken by Earth’s climate and its adverse effects are a their respective Ministries, and the Environment common concern of humankind. The Ministry Secretary for coordinating all these inputs and of Environment and Mineral Resources (MEMR) steering the publication of the Strategy. has therefore recognised the need to enhance coordination of climate change activities in the Development of a document of this kind would country with a view to ensuring a climate-proof be impossible without financial resources. socioeconomic development anchored on a low- In this regard, my gratitude goes to the carbon path. Governments of Denmark and Sweden through the Danida/Sida supported Environmental The Kenya National Climate Change Response Programme Support (EPS) for providing both Strategy (NCCRS) is based on outcomes of technical and financial support for the process. stakeholder-consultations held all over the Of course I can’t forget the support provided country and therefore captures the aspirations by other development partners in particular of most Kenyans on tackling climate change the UNDP, UNEP, International Development challenges. The document has also drawn from Research Centre (IDRC), IGAD Climate Prediction sectoral climate change response activities and and Applications Centre (ICPAC) and members budgeted Action Plans of various line Ministries. of parliament particularly the Departmental Committee on Land and Natural Resources Indeed, the Strategy has come up with as well as the Departmental Committee on modalities of dealing with climate change Agriculture, Livestock and Cooperatives during challenges in the country with a view to the awareness campaign workshops. ensuring a climate-resilient nation. These include recommendations on relevant policies, institutional framework, awareness creation and mobilisation of resources, among many others. The Ministry of Environment and Mineral Lawrence Lenayapa Resources is proud to present this Strategy, the Permanent Secretary first ever in the country. This is an indication of Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources Executive Summary It is universally accepted that climate change is Mechanism (CDM) compliance market under one of the greatest challenges facing humanity the Kyoto Protocol and (ii) Voluntary Carbon this century. In Kenya, this phenomenon is Markets (VCM), which emerged to fulfil the already unmistakable and intensifying at an demand from organisations and businesses alarming rate as is evident from countrywide that wish to offset their carbon emissions temperature increases and rainfall irregularity voluntarily. It should be noted that presently, and intensification. most developing countries in Africa have not benefited from carbon markets because of their These climate-driven changes affect resources complexity, trading conditions, investments critical for economic development of Kenya. An and general lack of capacity and knowledge in example is the 1999/2000 La Niña droughts, developing countries. Therefore, for Kenya to which left approximately 4.7 million Kenyans benefit from these markets, intense capacity facing starvation. In addition, increased building particularly at the community level average temperatures have led to the spread will be required. of vector-borne diseases like malaria to areas where the disease is not known to be The National Climate Change Response endemic. Strategy Global Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions In response to the challenges and opportunities are continuing unabated and in the future, posed by climate change, Kenya has developed the impacts of climate change are likely to this National Climate Change Response Strategy. worsen an already precarious situation. If The vision of the Strategy is for a prosperous Kenya takes no action to reduce or minimise and climate change resilient Kenya. The expected impacts of current and future climate mission is to strengthen

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