Kenya sells urban climate change projects despite drawbacks
Environment & Climate
By
Mactilda Mbenywe
| Nov 12, 2025
Kenya is positioning itself as a global leader in climate adaptation for the urban poor.
At COP30, the Kenyan delegation outlined a vision centered on two flagship programmes.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki led the delegation in Belem, Brazil. His agenda sharp push for global recognition of Kenya’s model for building resilience among vulnerable city populations.
He told delegates that Kenya’s social housing programme for the urban poor and the Nairobi Rivers Regeneration Programme are “the two most consequential measures ever taken in the global south to create climate resilience for the urban poor using domestically generated resources.”
That statement set the tone for Kenya’s presence at the talks. It framed the country as a model for self-funded urban adaptation in the developing world.
The two flagship projects are at the center of the government’s climate agenda. The Nairobi Rivers Regeneration Programme aims to restore the heavily polluted Nairobi River Basin. It links environmental clean-up to urban planning, housing, and health outcomes.
The social housing plan targets low-income families in informal settlements. It combines climate-smart housing materials with renewable energy integration and improved sanitation. The aim is to shield poor households from climate shocks while improving their living standards.
UN agencies, including UN-Habitat and the UN Climate Action Team, praised the twin initiatives. They described them as rare examples of domestic investment driving climate adaptation in cities of the global south.
But the gap between ambition and implementation remains wide.
A walk along the Nairobi River still tells a difficult stof polluted channels, informal dumpsites, and congested settlements. Many projects remain in early or pilot stages. Urban planning experts cite weak coordination and limited financing as the main obstacles.
At the sidelines of COP30, Kindiki met UN Secretary-General António Guterres, African Union Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, and WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. He appealed for stronger UN coordination in supporting adaptation finance, technology transfer, and capacity building.
He also pushed for a United Nations General Assembly resolution on climate resilience for the urban poor. Kenya wants the Building Climate Resilience with the Urban Poor (BCRUP) initiative co-led with Brazil to be anchored in global policy.
“The initiative seeks to cushion the urban poor against climate shocks including floods, drought, heatwaves, violent winds, and landslides, while tackling underlying vulnerabilities such as poverty, limited infrastructure, and weak governance frameworks,” he said.
The proposal aligns Kenya with Brazil’s push for south-south cooperation in adaptation. It also positions Nairobi as a co-leader of a major global programme at the intersection of climate policy and urban development.
Kenya’s broader climate record gives the delegation leverage. The country generates 93 percent of its electricity from renewable sourcesmmainly geothermal, wind, and hydro.
Access to power has reached 75 percent, connecting about 10.6 million households. Government data show the target of universal access by 2030 is within reach.
The transition is part of a larger $600 billion investment plan to achieve a fully green energy mix by the end of the decade. The government says the phase-out of biomass cooking is on course by 2028.
At the Leaders’ Roundtable chaired by Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Kindiki joined calls for a “clear global timeline on fossil fuel phase-out and a robust plan for investment in renewables and green minerals.”
He linked the transition to social equity: “The world must empower women, youth, and farmers to ensure the benefits of the green economy are shared fairly across communities, generations, and genders.”
Behind these achievements lie gaps that Kenya’s negotiators must confront.
Climate finance remains uncertain. Kenya’s updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) commits to a 35 percent emissions reduction by 2035. Yet over 80 percent of that target depends on external funding.
Adaptation funding is far lower than what Kenya requires. The Africa Group of Negotiators estimates the continent needs at least $100 billion a year for adaptation alone. Only a fraction is flowing.
Locally, implementation is uneven. County governments face weak planning capacity and delayed disbursement of climate funds. Informal settlements, home to nearly 60 percent of Nairobi’s population, still lack the infrastructure that would make urban resilience real.
Civil society groups argue that public participation remains thin. Many residents along the Nairobi River corridor say they were not adequately involved in planning or relocation processes.
Despite the challenges, Kenya’s message at COP30 resonates across Africa. The country’s push for domestically led adaptation speaks to a growing shift, from waiting for aid to building internal capacity.
At previous summits, Kenya emphasized clean energy and nature-based solutions. This year’s focus on urban resilience marks a pivot toward human-centered adaptation.
By co-leading the BCRUP with Brazil, Kenya has placed itself within a new diplomatic bloc linking African and Latin American experiences in climate action. Both regions share exposure to rapid urbanization, informal settlements, and extreme weather.
Kenya’s call for periodic reporting to the UN General Assembly signals ambition to be held accountable globally for its urban climate agenda.
Analysis stated that whether Kenya’s model becomes a continental blueprint depends on execution. Funding must reach communities, data must track progress, and governance frameworks must bridge national and local levels.
The government’s claim of using “domestically generated resources” will face scrutiny. Analysts will look for proof in budget allocations, transparency of spending, and tangible outcomes for the urban poor.
Experts who spoke to The Standard agreed that for now, Kenya’s delegation has achieved visibility. It brought concrete ideas to the table when much of the world still speaks in pledges.
“But visibility is not the same as impact. The next measure of leadership will not be how Kenya speaks in global halls, but how its cities withstand the next flood,” said Mohamed Adow, powershift Africa.