Kenya has reaffirmed its commitment to addressing biodiversity loss by restoring degraded ecosystems and aligning environmental governance initiative with economic transformation agenda.
Environment, Climate Change and Forestry CS Dr. Deborah Barasa says the move was in line with the launch of a key regional biodiversity support centres and the start of a comprehensive review of the 2013 National Environment Policy.
She highlighted that the two processes signal a shift from policy ambition to delivery, evidence-based monitoring and tangible socio-economic benefits, in line with the Government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
Dr. Barasa was speaking during the official launch of the Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD), as a Sub-Regional Technical and Scientific Cooperation Support Centre, under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which also coincided with the opening of a subregional workshop on biodiversity monitoring and reporting related to Target 2 of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
The CS insisted that Africa must strengthen technical and institutional readiness, as the world prepares for the 17th Conference of Parties (COP 17) in 2026, where implementation credibility and measurable results will be closely assessed.
“All of us care deeply about our forests, rivers, wetlands, grasslands and coastlines, yet many of these ecosystems are under pressure and some are already badly degraded,” argued Dr. Barasa.
“Restoration is about giving nature a chance to recover, while protecting livelihoods, securing water, supporting food production and building resilience to climate change,” she added.
Dr. Barasa noted that the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework marked a decisive shift in global biodiversity governance, moving from ambition to implementation with emphasis on measurable action, credible monitoring systems and transparent reporting.
“Progress will increasingly be assessed not by intent alone, but by evidence of outcomes and impact achieved on the ground,” she asserted.
Further, Dr. Barasa described Target 2 of the Framework, which calls for large-scale restoration of degraded terrestrial, inland water, coastal and marine ecosystems by 2030, as both an environmental necessity and a development priority for Africa, where ecosystems underpin livelihoods, food security, water systems and climate resilience.
She acknowledged that delivering on this target is technically and financially demanding, requiring clear baselines, consistent indicators, reliable data systems and the ability to aggregate locally generated information into national and global reporting processes, including the Seventh National Reports to the CBD.
Against this backdrop, Dr. Barasa recognized that the designation of RCMRD as a Sub-Regional Technical and Scientific Cooperation Support Centre was timely and strategic, enabling countries to strengthen technical readiness for biodiversity monitoring and reporting.
“RCMRD will support Parties to apply harmonised methodologies, utilise appropriate indicators and leverage geospatial and earth-observation data to monitor ecosystem restoration effectively,” outlined the CS, adding that it will also assist countries to strengthen national and subnational data systems and improve the quality of reporting to the Convention.
Additionally, she pointed out that the Centre would serve as a regional hub for technical exchange and learning, promoting consistency, comparability and shared learning across Africa.
The CS at the same time established that Kenya’s ecosystem restoration initiatives are firmly anchored in BETA, which prioritises inclusive growth, livelihood creation and resilience through locally driven action.
She cited the 15-billion-tree growing programme and broader landscape restoration efforts as practical contributions to Target 2 of the Global Biodiversity Framework.
“Our restoration initiatives place communities at the centre of county governments, community forest associations, farmer groups, schools, faith-based institutions, the private sector and individual citizens,” affirmed Dr. Barasa.
By Fred Azelwa