Vital strategy for tackling climate change

The Climate Change Act 2016 provides the legal basis for national and county level participation in planning, budgeting and implementation, and coordination of actions across various sectors.

The objective of the Act is to enhance resilience and low carbon growth for sustainable development.

As a signatory to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and a member of the Conference of the Parties (COP), the global policy making body on climate change, Kenya will participate in the negotiations under the Fiji Presidency in Bonn from November 6 to 17.

POVERTY

The Paris Agreement, an instrument that enhances the implementation of the UNFCCC to realise global sustainable development and eradicate poverty, became operational in 2015, some five years earlier than expected.

With the due date for the Paris Agreement’s “entry into force” occurring before 2020, the rules of the process governing it are being fast-tracked.

The 23rd UN Climate Conference is expected to agree on the rules and processes to implement the agreement referred to as the Paris Rule Book. It is hoped that the rule book will embed openness, transparency, and the inclusiveness of all the categories of stakeholders.

The COP approval of the guiding principles will be crucial, as will Kenya’s participation. Kenya does not have sufficient resources to enable it to tackle climate change. Its ability to continue carrying out its pre-2020 climate activities still requires financial, capacity-building and technology support.

These “Means of Implementation” from advanced economies are spelt out in the Climate Convention that has been operational since in 1994.

VISION 2030

Prior to the Paris Agreement to limit warming to as close as possible to 1.5°C and no more than 2.0°C in 2015, Kenya had been undertaking the measures laid out in its National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP) 2013-2017 to operationalise it National Climate Change Response Strategy (NCCRS) 2010.

This was reiterated in its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) submitted in 2015, which specifies both adaptation and mitigation interventions. It also contributes to sustainable development aspirations as laid out in the Constitution and Vision 2030.

Vision 2030 considers reliable and sufficient energy as a key foundation and enabler.

The Sustainable Environmental Development Watch (Suswatch) embarked on regional and national interventions to contribute to Promoting the Implementation of the Paris Agreement (PIPA) focusing on Pro-poor Low Emission Development.

LOW EMISSION

Working with partners in Tanzania, Uganda and Denmark, the project conducted studies on the implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

It examined their experiences of climate financing from the Green Climate Fund (GCF), and offered ideas on the development of national low emission development strategies (LEDS).

Suswatch participated in the fifth Nile Basin Development Forum from October 23 to 25, in Kigali that deliberated on energy access and water.

On the sidelines of the 23rd UN Climate Conference in Bonn, on November 9, Suswatch will host a side event with its partners.

The underlying theme is the promotion of localised climate solutions to end poverty through sharing good practices and lessons. Kenya, through the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources' Climate Change Directorate, will posit the developing countries’ expectations of the Paris Rule Book.

Ms Wandera is the secretary to the board and climate change focal point at Sustainable Environmental Development Watch (Suswatch) Kenya. [email protected]