Calls for the urgent review of Kenya’s Climate Change Act (2016) took centre stage this week as lawmakers and National Treasury officials convened in Naivasha for a pivotal climate action workshop.
The high-level meeting brought together members of the bicameral Parliamentary Caucus on Climate Change and representatives from the National Treasury coordinating the Financing Locally Led Climate Action (FLLOCA) programme.
Also in attendance were members of the Senate Standing Committee on Land, Environment and Natural Resources, alongside their counterparts from the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Environment, Forestry and Mining.
Stakeholders underscored the pressing need to align the current legal framework with the evolving dynamics of climate change, technological advancements, and international obligations, particularly under the Paris Agreement.
“A review of our climate law is crucial to ensure it effectively addresses the evolving nature of climate change,” said Senator Moses Kajwang’ (Homa Bay), co-convenor of the caucus in the Senate. “It also needs to address the challenges of integrating climate law across diverse governance levels and disciplines, from international agreements to local regulations.”
Kenya, which ratified the Paris Agreement in 2016, has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 32 per cent below business-as-usual levels by 2030. This commitment is enshrined in its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and forms a key pillar of the country's sustainable development agenda.
Nominated Senator Beatrice Ogolla reiterated Parliament’s
role in aligning Kenya’s legislative framework with international climate
obligations.
“Guided by the Climate Change Act (2016) and the National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP), our committee has spearheaded reforms to integrate global climate commitments such as the Paris Agreement and Agenda 2030 into Kenya’s governance systems,” she said.
Ogolla highlighted recent legislative strides by the committee, although specific details on pending bills and reforms were not immediately disclosed.
During the forum, concerns were also raised over the growing presence of unqualified individuals offering climate-related services in rural areas, particularly in the carbon credit space.
FLLOCA programme coordinator Peter Odhengo called for swift legislative action to curb such practices.
“We are the only profession that has allowed practitioners
with no formal background to operate freely. They’re exploiting communities in
rural areas by pushing them into questionable carbon credit agreements,”
Odhengo said. “This is what we wish to curb, and we are urging you to help us
get this Bill enacted into law.”
