An NGO has welcomed the climate change law in Garissa, saying it will boost environmental conservation efforts.
Governor Ali Korane on Saturday signed four bills, including the Climate Change Funds Bill.
The law requires the county to set aside two per cent of its budget for mitigating effects of climate change.
It also establishes a County Climate Change Fund Board that will liaise with the national government as an environmental watchdog.
Womankind Kenya head of operations Abdirahman Kusow said the law was necessary because Garissa has bore the brunt of climate change.
He asked other counties to pass similar laws, saying climate change had no boundaries.
“We thank the MCAs for the bill and the governor for signing it into law,” Kusow said.
The bill was a brainchild of development partners who said it was necessary to ensure adequate resources were allocated to mitigating effects of climate change.
On Saturday Governor Korane signed four bills amongst them Climate Change Funds Bill that requires county government to set aside 2 per cent of the total budget to create special fund.
The bill will enable the County administration to undertake programmes to assist local people adversely affected by climate change to meet their needs and adapt to changing climatic situation.
Korane who said his county administration is committed in the implementation of the bills passed by the assembly said recent intermittent drought that has affected hundreds of pastoralists is as a result of climate change.
The bill is also set to establish a County Climate Change Fund Board which is responsible of all activities including approving projects eligibility criteria, develop the necessary linkages for the Fund with the National Government and other relevant stakeholders outside the County.
Korane also signed into law the County Attorney Bill, 2018, the County Revolving Bill and the County Environmental Management and Coordination Bill.
The bill which was pushed by development partners through DFID will resources allocated to climate change and its programs in the county.