Kenya, through the Department for Environment and Climate Change, has embarked on a review of the 2013 National Environmental Act to strengthen climate change campaign by identifying gaps and emerging issues.

While the current 2013 policy has helped shape environmental regulations and frameworks, a three-day technical workshop in Machakos heard, it does not mirror the advanced global transformations and climate effects and so a review is critical as it must realign with science, technology and socio-economic realities.

Discussions and presentations through stakeholder engagements focused on the inception report, stakeholder mapping and consultation framework as well as the methodology and analytical tools to be used in assessing policy gaps, identifying emerging issues and prioritising areas for reform.

According to Environmental Secretary Selly Kimosop, who spoke during the closing of the three-day workshop at a Machakos hotel, the environmental landscape today is quite different from what it was a decade ago and the technical workshop provided an opportunity to address gaps and needs assessment.

Kimosop noted that they are in phase one of reviewing the policy and it is informed by emerging issues such as triple planetary crisis, climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution which are to be included in the revised policy to guide on interventions for mitigation on climate change.

“Our environmental, technological and Socio-economic landscapes have evolved in ways we could not have fully anticipated, and the policy now requires deliberate and thoughtful updating to remain relevant, responsive and visionary,” Dr Kimosop said.

She emphasized on the need for a circular economy to be incorporated into the reviewed policy where it guides the country on the need to transition from a linear to a circular model that prioritizes reuse, repair and recycling which will create several jobs by 2030.

“The circular economy principles need to be embedded across sectors such as the industry, agriculture, urban development and infrastructure and it’s not just environmentalism but an economic opportunity projected to create 46,000 jobs by 2030,” the Environment Secretary pointed out.

Kimosop pointed out further that the policy will also include a clear framework for carbon markets, climate finance and green investments that are meant to unlock new revenue streams while safeguarding environmental integrity.

She also highlighted the current challenges of swelling of lakes especially with the ongoing rains, which calls for urgent policy responses that include flood hazard mapping and gender responsive support for displaced communities that have been affected by the floods.

The environment secretary addressed the importance of coordination between the national and county government and institutional strengthening which are major gaps realised in the policy, adding that “devolved system is a cornerstone of effective environmental management.”

“In 2013 devolution was just starting and now we need a proper coordination framework between environment stakeholders within the county and national government to have a coordinated mechanism on how to work together,” Kimosop said.

The stakeholders involved in the technical workshop were heads of department in Department of Environment, Department of Parliamentary Affairs, National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA), National Environmental Trust Fund (NETFUND), National Environmental Complaints Committee (NECC) and the National Environmental Tribunal (NET).

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By Anne Kangero