Climate change has, over the years, been shaped by important global discussions, international commitments and efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
While these global commitments provide an essential foundation for climate action, their significance is ultimately measured by how they translate into meaningful change at the local level.
For millions of Kenyans, climate change is experienced much closer to home: when boreholes and streams dry up, when crops fail, when floods damage infrastructure, when drainage systems are overwhelmed, when the rising water levels persist or when families face rising costs of energy and food.
County Governments are at the frontline of both climate change and service delivery to citizens.
As stipulated in the Constitution, they are responsible for many of the functions most directly affected by climate risks including water and sanitation, agriculture, waste management, local infrastructure, environmental management and natural resource management.
County Governments are therefore not only critical actors in responding to climate change but also important partners in shaping the emerging carbon market.
They are best placed to understand local vulnerabilities, identify opportunities and ensure that carbon market initiatives are aligned with local priorities, development plans and the needs of County economies.
This is why the future of Kenya’s carbon markets must be connected and contextualized to local climate risks, vulnerabilities affecting service delivery and development priorities of communities.
Counties have created an enabling environment to support carbon investments through interventionsin afforestation, ecosystem restoration and community participation.
Similarly, the shift towards circular economy approaches is creating opportunities for methane capture, composting, recycling and waste valorisation. With the enactment of solid waste management legislation as well as growing private sector and community participation, emissions have been reduced, new carbon market opportunities generated and jobs created for cleaner, more sustainable local economies.
At the same time, significant investments in construction, rehabilitation and expansion of water and sanitation infrastructure are increasingly threatened by climate-related risks such as droughts, floods, changing rainfall patterns and degraded catchments, highlighting the need to integrate climate resilience and carbon considerations into County development planning and investment.
As carbon markets expand, the question of who benefits must be considered alongside who owns, manages and protects the resources generating carbon value.
Where carbon projects utilize County-managed public land, forests or other natural resources, County Governments should have a clear and legitimate role, while ensuring that the rights and benefits of affected communities are fully protected.
The participation of Counties should go beyond providing letters of support. Counties should be able to assess the legal status of project areas, resource ownership and management arrangements, community rights, benefit-sharing mechanisms, environmental and social safeguards and alignment with County development priorities.
Carbon projects should also be consistent with CIDPs, County Spatial Plans, County Climate Action Plans and relevant sector plans, ensuring that they complement public investments and deliver measurable climate and development outcomes.
Stronger and more structured County engagement in Kenya’s carbon market framework, including clear guidance on County participation, project approval, carbon rights and the use of County land and natural resources is an imperative.
This is not about turning every County Program into a carbon project, but about ensuring that viable opportunities in areas such as forestry, ecosystem restoration, waste management, clean cooking, renewable energy and climate-smart agriculture are developed responsibly.
County Governments have already demonstrated leadership through significant investments in climate action, including enacting legislation and the necessary institutional frameworks.
The next step is to ensure that the growth of carbon markets strengthens, rather than bypasses county governments and creates opportunities for Counties and communities to build resilience, protect natural resources and share equitably in the emerging carbon economy.
Written by Mary Mwiti, EBS - Chief Executive Officer, Council of Governors.
