Mainstreaming climate change resilience into development planning in Kenya

This 2013 report by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) examines the integration of climate change resilience into Kenya's national development planning. It evaluates progress against a three-part framework: enabling environment, policies and planning, and projects and programmes, highlighting the role of the National Climate Change Response Strategy (NCCRS) and the National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP) in guiding the country toward low-carbon development and climate adaptation.

• Climate change and variability significantly threaten Kenya's economy and environment, with droughts and flooding estimated to cost approximately 2.4 per cent of GDP. Agriculture, which represents about 20 per cent of GDP, is particularly sensitive, and other sectors like trade, industry, and tourism are vulnerable to climate-driven disruptions.
• Kenya has experienced unmistakable warming trends since the early 1960s. According to the Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD), minimum (night) temperatures have generally risen by 0.7°C to 2.0°C and maximum (day) temperatures by 0.2°C to 1.3°C, depending on the region and season.
• The Kenyan government has demonstrated political will to mainstream climate adaptation through the National Climate Change Response Strategy (NCCRS) of 2010 and the 2012 National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP). Efforts are underway to embed these into 'Vision 2030', the national development plan, and the 2013–2017 medium-term plan.
• The government utilizes the 'Threshold 21' (T21) system dynamics model to support national development planning by integrating economic, social, and environmental aspects. The model forecasts that temperatures will increase from 23°C in 2010 to 28.02°C by 2050, an increase of 5.02°C.
• Climate governance in Kenya is distributed across multiple entities. The National Climate Change Council (NCCC) provides high-level guidance, while the Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources (MEMR) serves as the lead agency with a climate change secretariat. Other involved bodies include the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), the Ministry of Finance's Carbon Finance Unit (CFU), and the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA).
• The financial requirements for climate adaptation and low-carbon development are substantial, with estimated investment costs of 1 trillion Kenyan shillings (US$12.76 billion) between 2013 and 2017. While some local funding exists via the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), Kenya relies heavily on external donors, with over 90% of climate finance coming from external sources in 2012.
• The 2010 Constitution of Kenya supports a rights-based approach to climate adaptation. Section 43(1) establishes rights to the highest attainable standard of health, freedom from hunger, and clean and safe water, which are critical components of climate change adaptation.

APA

Nzau, V. M. (2013). Mainstreaming climate change resilience into development planning in Kenya. Climate and Development Knowledge Network. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/Kenya_PRESS_0.pdf

Chicago

Nzau, Vincent Mutie. Mainstreaming climate change resilience into development planning in Kenya. Climate and Development Knowledge Network, 2013. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/Kenya_PRESS_0.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Nzau |first1=Vincent Mutie |title=Mainstreaming climate change resilience into development planning in Kenya |publisher=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |date=April 2013 |url=https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/Kenya_PRESS_0.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{nzau2013mainstreaming, author = {Nzau, Vincent Mutie}, title = {{Mainstreaming climate change resilience into development planning in Kenya}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2013}, month = apr, url = {https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/Kenya_PRESS_0.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }