This archive report was first published on 5 June 2020.
As we mark World Environment Day, it is crucial to acknowledge that climate change is not just a future challenge, but a pressing reality in Kenya today.
Heavy rains in March brought unprecedented flooding and mudslides in Elgeyo Marakwet and West Pokot counties, displacing over 400,000 people and destroying farmlands. The Lake Victoria basin, home to around 40 million people, has seen its banks overflowing due to the lake's highest level in 120 years.
Meanwhile, the worst locust plague in 70 years is ravaging crops in Samburu, Isiolo, Laikipia, and Meru. The swarms, kindled by an Arabian cyclone and abnormal rainfall, have already grown 20 fold and are on course to grow 400 fold by the end of June.
The UK is providing over Sh14.5 billion worth of support to address climate change and species extinction in Kenya, leveraging expertise in green finance and climate innovation. Nairobi is a leading centre for weather pattern prediction in East Africa, and UK Met Office data is sharing localised advice and insight to farmers in Kenya and the region.
As the Kenyan economy recovers from the pandemic, there is an opportunity to protect and restore nature, reducing exposure to deadly viruses and climate impacts. Kenya will need jobs that will last, whether in climate-resilient agriculture, eco-tourism, or in factories powered by clean energy.
The UK's CoP26 Presidency will now span two years, culminating in November 2021, and will champion the African agenda, boosting resilience, adaptability, reforestation, and improving access to international finance for climate projects.
It is time for Kenya and the UK to stand together, using their ingenuity to seize the opportunities of a brighter, greener future.
— Jane Marriott, British High Commissioner to Kenya
