Committee : International Monetary Fund

Country : Kenya
Topic : Providing solution of the Unequal Burden of rising
temperatures in Low-income Countries

Climate change in Kenya and across East Africa has led to more frequent droughts.
These have caused wild animals, such as lions and elephants, to wander further in
search of water and food. Climate change is affecting the traditional way of life of some
of the semi-nomadic tribes in Kenya, such as the Samburu. If climate change
endangers wildlife it could damage Kenya’s tourist industry, since wildlife safaris are
a major part of country’s appeal for many tourists. On a local scale, reduced yields of
staple crops, such as maize and beans will damage the local economy. When farmers
cannot produce any surplus crops to sell they cannot afford to buy other provisions,
such as clothes, food or fuel and so other small businesses will suffer too.

In recognition of the serious threats posed by climate change my Government has

taken and continues to take bold measures to secure the country’s development
against the risks and impacts of climate change. The Constitution of Kenya provides
for maintenance of at least ten per cent tree cover of the land area. In 2010, the
Government launched the National Climate Change Response Strategy which
enhanced understanding of the global climate change regime and the impacts of
climate change in Kenya. The Strategy was Kenya’s first climate change agenda guide
as it provided a basis for strengthening and focusing nationwide action towards climate
change adaptation and mitigation.

The country has developed strategies, plans, policies and initiatives that would provide
a supportive framework for implementing responses toward the emerging effects of
climate change. One of them is the so-called “The Constitution of Kenya (2010)”
which provides ground for the formulation of adaptation and mitigation legislation,
policies and strategies by guaranteeing the right to a clean and healthy environment
under the Bill of Rights. The country also developed Kenya Vision 2030 – the long-
term development blueprint for the country – aims to transform Kenya into “a newly
industrializing, middle-income country providing a high quality of life to all its citizens
in a clean and secure environment.”6 A low carbon climate resilient development
pathway, as set out in this National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP), can help
meet Vision 2030’s goals through actions that address both sustainable development
and climate change. This pathway can also help the Government achieve the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and other internationally agreed development
goals without compromising the environment and the natural resource base. In order
to continue the foregoing activities to answer the said issues on climate change, the
IMF approved a $508.7 million loan to back Kenya’s economic program, as the country
embarks on reforms arising from the implementation of its new constitution.

Understanding the issue of the effects of climate change on both environment,

economy, and society, Kenya proposes three main solutions, which are:

1. Supporting Innovation and Entrepreneurship can help power change. New

processes and technologies in landscape planning, soil analysis, irrigation, and
even alternative proteins such as plant-based meat are making agriculture and
land use more sustainable. Similarly, changes in the construction industry,
which is turning to more efficiently produced products like cross-laminated
timber (CLT), can help reduce carbon pollution.
2. Continue to finds ways to support in developing a wall-to-wall system which is
called the System for Land-based Emission Estimation in Kenya (SLEEK)—
that will make information about climate, soil, and other information accessible
to users in a timely manner. This can be used to better inform Government
agencies, NGOs, the private sector, and the public on decisions related to food
security, agricultural productivity, land-management, and other development
issues.
3. Focus on enhancing the Designated National Authority (DNA) under the
National Environment Management Authority and export promotion activities is
recommended. Future carbon market conditions are likely to be difficult in
Kenya. There are a number of different roles and activities that a primary carbon
trading platform could perform. Three key options have been identified: a more
efficient DNA; an export promotion agency model where public resources are
used to increase the supply of Kenyan credits and promote their sale in
overseas markets; and a brokerage model where a new body is created which
looks to bring together buyers and sellers of credits and works on a commission
basis.