Operational Definition of Terms

This executive summary reports on a 2024 study commissioned by Natural Justice to assess the state of the Climate Justice Movement (CJM) in Kenya. The study involved 404 survey responses, 19 key informant interviews, and 12 focus group discussions across six regional economic blocs. It finds that while the CJM has a strong grassroots presence and has influenced national and county policies, it is currently hindered by internal fragmentation, leadership disputes, and limited funding. The document outlines the movement's composition, its role in monitoring government climate finance, and the legal frameworks—such as the Climate Change Act of 2016—that govern climate action in Kenya.

• The Climate Justice Movement (CJM) in Kenya is a decentralized coalition comprising local and international NGOs, faith-based organizations, indigenous peoples' groups, and community networks. A total of 332 CJM actors were identified, including informal networks like CLAN! (Community Land Action Now!) which connect indigenous peoples and community-based organizations to advocate for land rights.
• The CJM has experienced a decline in its unified influence and cohesion due to political interference and leadership disputes. This has specifically weakened civil society's representation on the National Climate Change Council, leading some community-based organizations to file court petitions alleging political infiltration in appointments.
• Climate justice interventions are distributed across all 47 Kenyan counties, with the highest concentrations of networks found in the Frontier Counties Development Council (57 networks) and Nairobi (54 networks). The Jumuiya ya Kaunti za Pwani has 50 networks, while the South Eastern Kenya Economic Bloc has 30.
• Kenya possesses a robust legal framework for climate governance, including the Climate Change Act of 2016 and the National Climate Change Action Plan. However, implementation is often inconsistent due to coordination gaps, limited funding, and a lack of political will. The Financing Locally Led Climate Action (FLLoCA) program, a $171 million initiative funded by the World Bank, aims to decentralize climate funding to the ward level.
• The CJM employs monitoring as a tool for accountability and data generation, using community scorecards and participatory climate risk assessments. In some areas, such as Kisumu, the movement monitors the commitment of county governments to allocate approximately 2% of their annual development budget to climate change.
• Gender mainstreaming in Kenya's climate action is recognized in national policy and the Climate Change Act, but actual implementation is weak. Power dynamics continue to limit the participation of women and marginalized groups in decision-making processes.

APA

Abuya, N., Otieno, C., Nyauma, V., Njoki, H. J., & Muthami, R. (n.d.). Operational Definition of Terms. Natural Justice. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Final-Infographic-summary-the-state-of-the-CJM-in-Kenya-Report.pdf

Chicago

Abuya, Nicholas, Collins Otieno, Virginia Nyauma, Hilda Joy Njoki, and Robert Muthami. Operational Definition of Terms. Natural Justice, n.d. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Final-Infographic-summary-the-state-of-the-CJM-in-Kenya-Report.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Abuya |first1=Nicholas |last2=Otieno |first2=Collins |last3=Nyauma |first3=Virginia |last4=Njoki |first4=Hilda Joy |last5=Muthami |first5=Robert |title=Operational Definition of Terms |publisher=Natural Justice |url=https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Final-Infographic-summary-the-state-of-the-CJM-in-Kenya-Report.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{abuyandoperational, author = {Abuya, Nicholas and Otieno, Collins and Nyauma, Virginia and Njoki, Hilda Joy and Muthami, Robert}, title = {{Operational Definition of Terms}}, institution = {Natural Justice}, url = {https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Final-Infographic-summary-the-state-of-the-CJM-in-Kenya-Report.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }