Accelerating REDD+ in Kenya for Equitable Climate Mitigation and Benefits (ClimateARK)

Project background

KWCA, through a consortium led by Conservation International and including Kieti Law and Indigenous Livelihood Enhancement Partners (ILEPA), is working to accelerate REDD+ in Kenya for equitable climate mitigation and benefits. ClimateARK aims to scale up and support ongoing REDD+ implementation efforts, especially REDD+ nesting in Kenya, by ensuring a transformative, equitable and inclusive multi-stakeholder approach to nature-based solutions for emission reductions, as identified in Kenya's REDD+ Strategy. The project targets local communities and conservancies in six counties: Narok, Kajiado, Laikipia, Nyeri, Baringo and Taita Taveta.

Under the consortium, KWCA brings important stakeholders to the process, particularly from the wildlife and forestry sectors and county governments, as well as expertise in GESI and project monitoring. ILEPA brings its experience and connections with Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities and shares expertise on GESI. The communities KWCA and ILEPA work with are either scoping or being approached by investors, so it is imperative that they understand REDD+. CI and Kieti Law fill the REDD+ knowledge gap and policy needs respectively.

Who experiences the change

• National and county government officials
• Current and prospective project developers
• Private sector actors
• Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities
• Women and other social groups
• Conservancies
• Conservation NGOs, CSOs and FBOs

Problem statement

REDD+ in Kenya suffers from a lack of understanding among stakeholders, from national government to local communities, which means decisions are not made and progress in the emissions-reduction sector is hindered. REDD+ also needs to be aligned with Kenya's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), which requires specialised knowledge.

CI has been supporting the Government of Kenya through the Ministry of Environment and Forestry to advance the REDD+ nesting process since 2019. ClimateARK builds on this, working with government to clarify policy elements such as carbon rights and benefit sharing, as well as technical elements of building the foundations of a REDD+ registry and allocation of Forest Reference Levels to site-scale activities.

Objective

To accelerate emissions reductions in Kenya by building stakeholder knowledge and capacity and providing much-needed policy guidance, to engage and shape Kenya's REDD+ strategy and REDD+ nesting.

Project activities

• Hold courtesy calls with county governments to discuss the proposed work.
• Conduct training workshops with county governments.
• Conduct a training workshop for the Council of Governors and Regional Economic Blocs.
• Convene workshops in Narok and Kajiado to assess, define and identify nature-based solution (REDD+) opportunities.
• Assist in writing and reviewing the CIDP chapter on climate change.
• Set up a Project Developers Forum.
• Hold exchange trips between existing and potential carbon projects, actively ensuring GESI and demonstrating traditional knowledge-based conservation practices.