• UNDP Kenya boss Walid Badawi says agency keen on helping Kenya surpass its target
Image: COURTESY
The United Nations is working with the Environment ministry to curb greenhouse gas emissions, officials have said.
Kenya is working to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent and beyond in its Vision 2030.
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) resident representative in Kenya Walid Badawi told the Star they were working with the government to even exceed the target.
“UNDP with the Ministry of Environment is working to see if we can increase that level of ambition beyond the 30 per cent target,” Badawi said.
Kenya under the Paris agreement has pledged to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent by 2030.
The Paris Agreement brings all nations into a common cause to undertake ambitious efforts to combat climate change and adapt to its effects, with enhanced support to assist developing countries.
The agreement’s main objective is to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change by keeping a global temperature rise below 2 degrees Celsius and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further.
Kenyan plans to achieve much of its contribution through mitigation efforts in the forestry sector, which is expected to contribute about half of the emissions reductions needed.
Other sectors include electricity supply, energy demand, industry, transport, agriculture and waste.
The government aims to reduce emissions in the waste sector through improved management.
Badawi who spoke to the Star on Friday last week at Kaptagat Forest on the sidelines of the launch of a forestry policy said government’s target can be achieved faster by accelerating some of the action plans.
“This could include bringing in sectors like the blue economy which is currently not included in the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC),” Badawi said.
He said with technological help from UNDP, Kenya can actually raise her ambition, mobilise and accelerate its climate promise.
This is what UNDP is doing in over 100 countries around the world, he said.
Badawi said UNDP is partnering with countries to tap into global financing resources such as global environment facility and the green climate fund.
“Currently, we have over 300 million dollars of programmes invested with the ministry of environment and forestry on a whole host of environmental programmes,” Bdawi said.
He warned that by listing Kenya as lower-middle-income country was likely to shrink traditional donour support.
This means that the country will have to look for alternative sources of funds.
Badawi said UNDP has assisted some county governments such as Elgeyo Marakwet which it was supporting in the development of county forestry policy.
He said apart from the policy, they also have to put in place forest reference level as well as monitoring, verification and review systems to ensure that changes are measured as forest cover increases.
Badawi said they are also part of the national task force on the greening Kenya initiative that seeks to achieve the 10 per cent forest cover.
“Through the engagement of the government in the technical committee, we are bringing our international experience,” he said.
Edited by P.O