Kenya has stepped up efforts to mobilise international investment for nature conservation, climate resilience and ecosystem restoration, with Environment Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa using high-level engagements at the United Nations to push for stronger global partnerships.
At the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 81) in New York, Barasa held talks with Conservation International (CI) Chief Executive Officer Dr Sebastian Troëng on expanding cooperation in conservation, ecosystem restoration, climate resilience and nature-based finance.
The discussions focused on unlocking greater investment in Kenya’s natural capital, particularly through carbon markets and climate finance, while strengthening technical and institutional capacity to attract financing for high-value ecosystems.
Conservation International offered to deploy its global and African technical expertise, including technical and investment teams, to help Kenya develop and structure nature-finance solutions at scale.
Barasa said the two sides also reviewed Kenya’s carbon markets and identified the need to address technical gaps that could unlock increased investment in the country’s forests and other carbon-rich ecosystems.
The talks further examined Global Environment Facility (GEF-9) and Green Climate Fund concepts being developed with Government ministries and other partners.
The proposed initiatives target protected areas, forest reserves and climate-resilient ecosystems in Kenya’s arid and semi-arid areas, as well as the coastal region.
Barasa invited Conservation International to support the upcoming Mazingira Day activities, which will be implemented nationwide under the National Tree Growing and Ecosystem Restoration Programme.
The partnership is expected to place particular emphasis on the Mt Elgon ecosystem, a biodiversity-rich transboundary landscape and critical water tower.
The collaboration will cover ecosystem restoration, monitoring, seedling mobilisation, community engagement, livelihoods and protection of cultural heritage, while promoting community-led conservation and green economic opportunities.
Barasa also used the UN platform to highlight the growing threat posed by rising sea levels to Kenya’s coastline and coastal communities.
Addressing a high-level UN meeting on the existential threats posed by sea-level rise, the CS said Kenya’s 536-kilometre coastline was already experiencing the effects of climate change, with sea levels rising by approximately three millimetres annually.
She said nearly a third of Kenya’s coastline falls within the highest-risk category, exposing communities, infrastructure and livelihoods to increasing climate-related threats.
“The rising tide is no longer a distant warning, it is a reality already affecting our people, our communities and our coastal economy,” Barasa said.
She reaffirmed Kenya’s solidarity with Small Island Developing States and other low-lying nations facing growing threats to their territories, cultures and statehood.
Kenya also welcomed the International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion on climate change and sea-level rise, while calling for stronger international action to protect vulnerable coastal populations.
Barasa urged countries to undertake comprehensive coastal vulnerability mapping to guide development planning, public investment and land-use decisions.
She said future infrastructure must be designed with climate risks in mind, alongside increased efforts to restore and protect coastal ecosystems.
Kenya is also calling for stronger early-warning systems and greater recognition of African, local and Indigenous knowledge in climate science and resilience planning.
A key element of Kenya’s message at the UN was the need for predictable and long-term climate finance capable of supporting vulnerable communities and ecosystems.
Barasa called for stronger mobilisation of public, private and philanthropic resources to finance climate adaptation, ecosystem restoration and resilience.
She pointed to Kenya’s renewable energy record as evidence of the country’s contribution to global climate action, noting that about 93 per cent of the country’s electricity is generated from renewable sources.
Kenya has also positioned itself as a leading venue for global ocean and climate discussions, having hosted the first Our Ocean Conference on African soil in Mombasa.
The Government now seeks to build on these efforts by linking international climate partnerships with investments that create livelihoods, protect ecosystems and strengthen the resilience of communities facing the effects of climate change.
For Kenya, the UN engagements underline a broader strategy of turning its natural assets, from forests and coastal ecosystems to carbon-rich landscapes, into a foundation for sustainable development while ensuring that vulnerable communities benefit from climate and conservation investments.
by Joseph Ng’ang’a
