Just Resilience in Kenya: Frameworks and Perspectives for Equitable Climate Adaptation

The report examines the concept of 'Just Resilience' in Kenya, emphasizing the need for climate adaptation to prioritize equity and the voices of marginalized groups. It analyzes Kenya's existing legal and institutional frameworks, identifies vulnerabilities across different sectors and populations, and reviews several community-led adaptation projects. The document highlights significant barriers to achieving just resilience, including financial constraints, governance issues, and top-down decision-making, and provides recommendations for more inclusive, self-reliant, and transparent climate action.

• Kenya has established a comprehensive legal and institutional foundation for climate action, including the Constitution of 2010, the Climate Change Act (2016), and the National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP 2023–2027). However, these frameworks often fail to explicitly integrate 'Just Resilience' principles or translate equity and social inclusion into practice.
• Climate change disproportionately affects specific vulnerable groups in Kenya, including pastoralists in arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs), fishing communities on the coast, and residents of urban informal settlements. Women and girls are particularly impacted due to limited access to resources and decision-making power.
• Ignoring equity in climate projects can lead to 'maladaptation,' where interventions redistribute burdens or increase risks. A cited example is the Lake Turkana Wind Power Project, which resulted in the displacement of over 4,600 indigenous people without adequate consultation or compensation.
• Several active programs demonstrate a commitment to Just Resilience through community-led approaches, such as the Government Financing Locally-Led Climate Action (G-FLLoCA) program and the Kenya Climate Smart Agriculture Project. However, the adoption rate of climate-smart agricultural practices remains low, between 30% and 60%, due to financial and institutional barriers.
• Significant barriers hinder the achievement of Just Resilience in Kenya, most notably financial constraints, corruption, lack of transparency, and a reliance on international funding that may not align with local priorities. Most initiatives are criticized for taking a top-down approach that excludes marginalized groups from decision-making.
• Sector-specific transitions are underway, such as the energy sector's shift to 90% renewable energy and the transport sector's introduction of electric buses and non-motorized transport. However, these transitions must manage social risks, such as the potential loss of livelihoods for transport SACCOs and companies during the shift to mass transit systems.

APA

Mulwa, R., Macharia, K., & Musembi, E. (2024). Just Resilience in Kenya: Frameworks and Perspectives for Equitable Climate Adaptation. Climate Strategies. https://climatestrategies.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Just-Resilience-in-Kenya-Frameworks-and-Perspectives-for-Equitable-Climate-Adaptation-3.pdf

Chicago

Mulwa, Richard, Kenneth Macharia, and Elly Musembi. Just Resilience in Kenya: Frameworks and Perspectives for Equitable Climate Adaptation. Climate Strategies, 2024. https://climatestrategies.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Just-Resilience-in-Kenya-Frameworks-and-Perspectives-for-Equitable-Climate-Adaptation-3.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Mulwa |first1=Richard |last2=Macharia |first2=Kenneth |last3=Musembi |first3=Elly |title=Just Resilience in Kenya: Frameworks and Perspectives for Equitable Climate Adaptation |publisher=Climate Strategies |date=2024 |url=https://climatestrategies.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Just-Resilience-in-Kenya-Frameworks-and-Perspectives-for-Equitable-Climate-Adaptation-3.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{mulwa2024just, author = {Mulwa, Richard and Macharia, Kenneth and Musembi, Elly}, title = {{Just Resilience in Kenya: Frameworks and Perspectives for Equitable Climate Adaptation}}, institution = {Climate Strategies}, year = {2024}, url = {https://climatestrategies.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Just-Resilience-in-Kenya-Frameworks-and-Perspectives-for-Equitable-Climate-Adaptation-3.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }