Kenya secures key global climate support for loss and damage assessment

Kenya has achieved a major milestone in its efforts to strengthen climate resilience and address the growing impacts of climate change, becoming the first country in Africa and only the second globally to secure technical assistance from the Santiago Network on Loss and Damage.

The Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry, through the Directorate of Climate Change, announced that the country has secured technical support worth approximately USD 700,000 to undertake a comprehensive national assessment of climate-related loss and damage experienced over the past decade.

The landmark achievement was announced on the sidelines of the UNFCCC Subsidiary Bodies (SB64) Climate Meeting in Bonn, Germany.

The assessment is expected to generate critical evidence on the economic, social, and environmental impacts of climate change across the country. The findings will help inform policy decisions, strengthen national planning, and support resource mobilization for climate adaptation and resilience-building initiatives.

The development was formally communicated to the Principal Secretary for Environment and Climate Change, Dr Eng. Festus K. Ng'eno, by Santiago Network representative Elizabeth Carabine during the ongoing climate negotiations in Bonn.

The move further cements Kenya's position as a regional leader in climate action and highlights the country's commitment to developing evidence-based responses to the increasing frequency and intensity of climate-related disasters.

Welcoming the support, Dr Ng'eno said the technical assistance would enhance Kenya's ability to better understand and respond to the effects of climate change.

"The technical assistance from the Santiago Network will strengthen our national capacity to assess climate impacts over the past decade and guide evidence-based planning, financing, and adaptation," he said.

The Principal Secretary was accompanied by National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) Director General Mamo Boru Mamo, NETFUND Chief Executive Officer Samson Toniok, and Director of Climate Change Dr Pacifica Ogola.

The initiative is expected to provide a strong foundation for future climate policies and investments as Kenya seeks to enhance its resilience to the escalating effects of climate change.