By
BERNICE MBUGUA and GEORGE KEBASO
Kenya
is destined to benefit from a National Carbon Accounting system, which will
support the country’s access to carbon markets, through practical Greenhouse
Gas (GHG) emissions, the government has said. Speaking during the opening
session of the East African workshop on National Carbon Accounting Systems,
Environment principal Secretary, Dr Richard Lesiyampe said this seeks to
strengthen national capacities of East African Community (EAC) countries to
implement national climate change policies and strategies.
“In
Kenya, the forestry sector and REDD+ emission have been identified to strongly
support realisation of our climate change mitigation and adaptation goals,” he
said in remarks delivered on his behalf by Conservation Secretary, Gedion
Gathaara. “A lot of preparatory activities to support its implementation have
been initiated with support from my Ministry, the FCPF, UN-REDD and other
bilateral partners,” he added.
Forests
in Kenya provide critical ecosystems goods and services, including prevention
of land degradation, and also help in regulating water supply; and support
biodiversity, the PS noted. These forests, he said, are indiscriminately being
cleared and degraded, and as a result creating negative impact that is
contributing to food insecurity and climate change vulnerability.
The
programme, under System for Land Based Emission and Estimation in Kenya (SLEEK)
will seek to help Kenya to meet the national development goals and
international reporting obligations. The principal secretary further added the
government has launched a multi-stakeholder driven SLEEK programme to provide
comprehensive estimates in GHG profiles from land sector.
“Kenya
is keen to share lessons learned as Sleek is being implemented to enable other
EAC countries to have an advantage and better starting point as they embark on
development of their own national systems,” he said. Sleek will also establish
sustainable economic development through improving food security via improved
agricultural productivity, infrastructure and access to the market.
It
also plans to reduce climate change and other environmental factors through both
mitigation and adaption activities. The programme will run for three years with
the Australian support after which the intent is for it to transition to the
Government of Kenya for continued development and operational responsibility.
It
is expected the system will be generating results and able to be fully operated
by the Government of Kenya within three years, while recognisng it may take
longer than three years for full SLEEK implementation. Government of Kenya will
evaluate progress and re-assess feasible outcomes in the remaining time frame.
The
System for Land-based Emissions Estimation in Kenya (Sleek) would enable the
country to estimate; report and establish a basis for verification of her
greenhouse gas emissions data from the land sector. Valued at Sh1 billion (US$12.5 million)
through the Australian government support, Sleek will help the country be able
to use this data to reduce the GHG emissions.
During
the launch of the project last month the Australian Ambassador to Kenya, Geoff
Tooth said the system will boost economic growth and food security through
improved land management, increased agricultural productivity and better water
availability. “We hope that our
experiences in developing our own system, including the lessons we have learnt
along the way, will help the Government of Kenya to develop Sleek as a world
class system,” he said.
CCI
Country Director, Jackson Kimani said the system will have a critical impact on
the way Kenya responds to climate change.
“It will allow this country to understand its emissions in the past and
to analyse what is likely to occur in the future,” added Kimani. He, however, said the implications of SLEEK
are far more wide-reaching than simply addressing emissions.
Source: The People
Posts
