Nairobi: Kenya has reaffirmed its commitment to addressing biodiversity loss by restoring degraded ecosystems and aligning environmental governance initiatives with its economic transformation agenda.
According to Kenya News Agency, Environment, Climate Change and Forestry Cabinet Secretary (CS) Dr. Deborah Barasa emphasized that this move aligns with the launch of key regional biodiversity support centers and the commencement of a comprehensive review of the 2013 National Environment Policy. Dr. Barasa highlighted that these initiatives signal a transition from policy ambition to delivery, with a focus on evidence-based monitoring and tangible socio-economic benefits, in alignment with the Government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
Dr. Barasa made these remarks during the official launch of the Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD) as a Sub-Regional Technical and Scientific Cooperation Support Centre under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). This event also marked the opening of a subregional workshop on biodiversity monitoring and reporting related to Target 2 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The CS stressed the need for Africa to strengthen its technical and institutional readiness ahead of the 17th Conference of Parties (COP 17) in 2026, where the focus will be on implementation credibility and measurable results.
Dr. Barasa underscored the importance of ecosystem restoration as a means to allow nature to recover while protecting livelihoods, securing water, supporting food production, and building resilience to climate change. She noted that the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework represents a shift in global biodiversity governance, emphasizing measurable actions, credible monitoring systems, and transparent reporting. The CS further elaborated on Target 2 of the Framework, which calls for large-scale restoration of degraded ecosystems by 2030, describing it as both an environmental necessity and a development priority for Africa.
Dr. Barasa recognized the designation of RCMRD as a Sub-Regional Technical and Scientific Cooperation Support Centre as timely and strategic, enabling countries to strengthen their technical readiness for biodiversity monitoring and reporting. She outlined that RCMRD will support the application of harmonized methodologies, the use of appropriate indicators, and the leveraging of geospatial and earth-observation data to monitor ecosystem restoration effectively.
Additionally, Dr. Barasa pointed out that Kenya’s ecosystem restoration initiatives are firmly anchored in BETA, prioritizing inclusive growth, livelihood creation, and resilience through locally driven action. She cited the 15-billion-tree growing program and landscape restoration efforts as practical contributions to Target 2 of the Global Biodiversity Framework. Dr. Barasa emphasized that restoration success is measured not only by numbers but by survival rates, ecosystem functionality, biodiversity outcomes, and long-term resilience.
In a separate engagement, Dr. Barasa launched the review of the National Environment Policy of 2013, describing it as a critical national process focused on delivery and economic transformation. She noted that environmental sustainability is a core economic issue for ordinary Kenyans, highlighting that the updated policy will align climate-smart agriculture, sustainable water management, green industrialization, affordable energy, and resilient infrastructure across national and county governments.
Environment and Climate Change Principal Secretary (PS) Dr. Festus Ng’eno reiterated the timeliness of the review, acknowledging the significant evolution of Kenya’s environmental governance landscape since 2013. He described the review as a strategic repositioning to address contemporary challenges and seize new opportunities. Kenya Climate Innovation Center (KCIC) CEO Joseph Murabula emphasized the need for the updated policy to enable climate entrepreneurship, embed circular economy principles, and unlock innovative financing.
As Kenya prepares for COP 17, Dr. Barasa reaffirmed the country’s commitment to securing the constitutional right to a clean and healthy environment, protecting natural heritage, and ensuring that environmental sustainability supports inclusive economic growth.
