Climate diplomacy, conservation and the cost of a warming world.
Kenya and the International Fund for Agricultural Development are seeking to strengthen climate-resilient agriculture, boost farm productivity and improve incomes for smallholder farmers as the government steps up efforts to transform the rural economy. Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi on Thursday said the priorities featured in discussions with IFAD’s new Country Director and Representative to
Lamu Governor Issa Timamy has urged Dangote Group and the Ruto government to protect the county’s ocean, mangroves, fishing grounds and cultural heritage as construction of the Sh2.2 trillion refinery gets under way. Governor Timamy on Wednesday said the people of Lamu must see tangible benefits from the massive investment, while ensuring the project does
Botswana’s new approach to the Central Kalahari Game Reserve offers Kenya a fresh lens on how conservation, indigenous rights and community economic interests can coexist. Botswana’s attempt to reconcile conservation with the rights and livelihoods of indigenous communities could offer important lessons for Kenya, where questions over ancestral land, conservation and community participation remain unresolved.
Kenya’s food security, strained public finances and costly infrastructure needs face growing pressure as global warming exceeds 1.5°C, a new United Nations Environment Programme report warns. The Limiting Overshoot – Navigating exceedance of 1.5°C and pathways towards return report says the world is likely to cross the 1.5°C threshold in the coming years. This is
Nigerian businessman Aliko Dangote’s proposed $15–16 billion oil refinery in Lamu has opened a new front in Kenya’s energy debate, with climate campaigners warning the massive investment could lock the country into fossil fuels just as it seeks to build its clean-energy credentials. Dangote is proposing a 700,000-barrel-per-day refinery in Lamu, with construction targeted to
Princess Takamado of Japan has called for indigenous peoples and local communities to be placed at the centre of global conservation efforts, arguing that protecting nature cannot be separated from protecting the people who depend on it. Speaking at the United Nations Office at Nairobi, the Japanese royal and conservation advocate said efforts to protect
BY MACHARIA WANGUI Women from across East Africa are demanding urgent land rights reforms, greater accountability in large-scale development projects, and protection of water sources. Meeting in Limuru, the women — who were largely drawn from indigenous, marginalized and minority groups— said they are bearing the heaviest burden of climate shocks, while remaining excluded from
Kenya is no longer bracing for climate change—it is already paying the price. A new State of the Climate report for 2025 paints a stark picture of a country grappling with intensifying droughts, destructive floods, and rising temperatures, all within a single year. Extreme weather events displaced thousands of people, destroyed homes and roads, and
MACHARIA WANGUI Eight months after the government made a promise it never kept, World Vision has stepped in to save El Molo Bay Primary School, which has been swallowed by the rising waters of Lake Turkana. World Vision has begun a Sh40 million project to relocate the school in Loiyangalani. The move comes after the
Kenya is facing a deepening food security crisis, with an estimated 3.5 million people now in need of humanitarian food assistance. The lastest situation analysis report says the worsening situation has been linked to consecutive seasons of poor rainfall across the arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs), where livelihoods depend heavily on livestock and climate-sensitive activities.
BY MACHARIA WANGUI I recently got an opportunity to travel to El Molo in Loiyangalani ward in Marsabit county. There, I witnessed first-hand the effect of climate change to the livelihoods and lives of the people living in the marginalized area. It is a 660km journey that took us two days from Nairobi. You can
France has through its development finance institution Proparco announced a Sh141,100,000 (€1 million) support for climate-smart agriculture. Announced on Tuesday, the technical support to Equity Group Foundation in from of a grant will benefit 15,000 smallholder farmers in adopting climate-smart agriculture. “This initiative, under the Climate Resilient Agri-Food Systems (CRAFS) project, will provide training, financial
Kenya is negotiating with Singapore for a bilateral agreement under Article 6 of the Paris to reduce emissions and meet climate change goals. A delegation comprising of Government Officials from Ministries of Environment, Foreign Affairs, the National Treasury and Attorney General’s Office led by Environment and Climate Principal Secretary Dr Festus Ng’eno is in Singapore
