Multi-level climate governance in Kenya

The avoidance of dangerous climate change calls for a global transformation process towards a low-carbon society that reduces global greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) to zero shortly after the middle of the century. This is a structural change of enormous scale and speed that requires joint action by all sectors of society and levels of government. Coordinating these efforts and ensuring their coherence within a multi-level governance system is key to driving forward effective, efficient and ambitious climate actions.

The Republic of Kenya has a robust climate change policy framework and a sophisticated system of domestic institutions. Kenyan policymakers are aware that tackling climate change will require integrated action at different levels of governance, across sectors, and with non-governmental stakeholders. To foster low-emission development and enhance climate resilience, new institutional arrangements and new forms of cooperation are emerging at both national and sub-national levels.

This study summarises the important progress Kenya has made in developing its policy and institutional architecture in response to climate change through the lens of multi-level governance and multi-stakeholder climate action. It is written for both policy makers and development practitioners working in Kenya and is based on the four-year project known as V-LED, or Vertical Integration and Learning for Low-Emission Development in Africa and Southeast Asia. From 2015 through 2018 V-LED aimed to stimulate local climate action by rallying ambition and connecting national institutions, county authorities, communities and businesses. Based on experience gained from this project and additional research, the study analyses climate governance in practice, highlighting encouraging practices and continuing challenges of effective multi-level governance.

Further reports of the same project

• Multi-level climate governance in the Philippines
• Multi-level climate governance in South Africa
• Multi-level climate governance in Vietnam