CS Deborah Barasa during the forum
By ECCF Team
Environment, Climate Change, and Forestry Cabinet Secretary Dr. Deborah Barasa yesterday met Carbon Project Developers at a Nairobi hotel to discuss the development of Kenya’s carbon market.
The meeting addressed key issues including; regulatory frameworks, market integrity, and community benefits from carbon projects.
The CS emphasized that carbon markets are a cornerstone of low-carbon and climate-resilient development that offers a mechanism which can channel climate finance, incentivize sustainable practices, and unlock new streams of revenue for communities, businesses, and government.
“Beyond the economics, carbon markets offer a way to reimagine development, where environmental sustainability and economic prosperity go hand in hand,” she said.
The CS reiterated the government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for carbon project development, one that is predictable, fair, and aligned with the national priorities and international provisions and obligations.
The Ministry has worked closely with all stakeholders to develop and refine policies, streamline regulatory processes, and strive to ensure Kenya remains a leader in carbon markets. Such regulation includes the Climate Change Act of 2016, which was amended in 2023 to include provisions for carbon markets, authorizing trade in carbon credits through bilateral/multilateral agreements, private entity agreements, and participation in voluntary carbon markets.
The Carbon Markets Regulations, provide the technical and regulatory framework for carbon market participation in Kenya, clarifying the roles and responsibilities of institutions overseeing carbon market activities.
Environment and Climate Change PS Dr. Eng. Festus K. Ng’eno on the other hand highlighted Kenya’s active participation in both the compliance and voluntary carbon markets since 2009.
“Irrespective of the standard applied, our collective commitment must be to produce high-quality, high-integrity carbon credits. Core principles such as additionality, robust quantification, permanence, no leakage, environmental and social safeguards, avoidance of double counting, demonstrable SDG impacts, and validation and verification must be upheld,” he emphasized.
Further, Dr. Ng’eno outlined the government’s approach to carbon markets, which focuses on six principles: establishing an export-oriented industry, positioning Kenya as an investor-friendly destination, creating a high-integrity, high-quality carbon credit market, empowering the private sector, and leveraging carbon credits.
Present during the meeting were Environment Secretary Dr. Selly Kimosop, Secretary, Forest Development, Mr. George Tarus, Director Climate Change Dr. Pacifica Ogola, Dr. Nyatichi Omambia (DNA-NEMA), and carbon project developers from across the country.
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