Report calls for full inclusion of community voices in addressing climate change in Kenya

Participants during the release of a landmark publication profiling how communities across 17 counties in the country are driving local solutions aimed at addressing climate change, in Nairobi.

The Voices for Just Climate Action (VCA), a nationwide coalition working to ensure that climate solutions in Kenya are people-centred, locally-led, and grounded in justice has today launched a landmark publication profiling how communities across 17 counties in the country are driving local solutions aimed at addressing climate change.

The publication further calls for full inclusion of communities in identifying projects that should be funded by various instruments such as Financing Locally Led Climate Action (FLLOCA), county budgets, among others.

“Ordinary community members bear the brunt of the effects of climate change. Across the country, millions of farmers have lost harvests and livestock as a result of drought and floods. They feel the pain of climate change. Any interventions aimed at cushioning them from the vagaries of climate change should fully involve them,” said Dr Kennedy Mugochi, the Regional Director of Hivos East Africa, while launching the report.

The report calls for transparency in the budgeting and utilisation of climate change funds in the counties. “Climate change funds must be managed with full transparency and accountability if we are to deliver justice for communities most affected by climate shocks. Through the Voices for Just Climate Action, we have developed climate change tracking tools and score-cards that Kenya can leverage on,” added Dr Kennedy.

 “At a time when the world is preparing for the Conference of Parties (COP 30) in Brazil, we must ensure that voices of how communities are innovatively coping with the effects of climate change must be told. That is why this publication is very important, “said Alex Kubasu, the Green Economy and Policy Lead at WWF-Kenya.

Voices for Just Climate Action (VCA) is a five-year climate justice programme (2021 – 2025) funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs under its ‘Power of Voices’ framework and implemented by WWF, Hivos, Akina Mama wa Africa (AMwa), Fundacion Avina, Slum Dwellers International (SDI-Kenya), South South North (SSN). It is implemented in six countries including Kenya, Zambia, Tunisia, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay and Indonesia.

In Kenya, VCA works in 19 counties, namely: Marsabit, Wajir, Nairobi, Wajir, Homa Bay, Kisumu, Baringo, Nakuru, Garissa, Samburu, Isiolo, Kilifi, Tana River, Narok, Kwale, Lamu, Kajiado, Tharaka Nithi, Makueni and Mombasa. These counties collectively cover over 60 percent of the country’s land mass.