Kenya is pressed for time to build an end-to-end digital infrastructure to support its participation in the international carbon markets.
Environment, Climate Change, and Forestry Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya says the formulation of the legislation and policies to govern the multi-billion-dollar industry is at an advanced stage.
“In our discussions with experts I learned that our people can sell carbon credits by planting more trees or even through the volcanic rocks and I want to assure all citizens that plans are underway to regularise the sector for the mutual benefit of all people,” Ms Tuya said.
The plans are underway to unveil the national carbon credit legislation and policy framework before the African Union Climate Summit that is slated for September 4-8.
She said the government was keen on instilling a high level of transparency and discipline in the carbon market.
The CS held that the current dealings within the carbon market in the country were opaque and exploitative to the involved communities, denying the government revenues.
She added that it was all systems go for the government to embark on developing a rigorous greenhouse gas emissions inventory system that will capture emissions and carbon sinks.
The programme has been captured in the recently launched wetlands and ecosystems restoration programme by the Ministry of Environment, the National Environment Management Authority and the Kenya Forest Service.
Carbon-neutral nation
The move comes at a time at least two-thirds of the countries globally have been racing to combat climate change using carbon credit to meet their targets in the Paris Agreement.
The National Ecosystems Management head of department Isaack Elemi asserted that “we’ll have more carbon sinks bothering us around and even the transboundary and that will eventually see less carbon production and finally a carbon neutral nation.”
