County launches Climate Change Adaptation policy

County governments have been called upon to put in place policies that will ensure implementation on climate resilience initiatives by their communities.
Speaking during the launch of the Marsabit County Climate Change Adaptation Policy in the county yesterday, the Kenyan Platform for Climate Governance (KPCG) Coordinator Meryne Warah said time had come to apply partnership between governments and civil society as well as communities to achieve the best for all, and that having such imprinted in the form of policies was key.

“Appropriate policies are a key component of stabilising the livelihoods of pastoral systems, especially those that are geared towards adapting to a changing climate and building resilience as well as response to the needs of pastoral communities. Yet these cannot happen without finances, cooperation and political goodwill,” said Ms Warah.
Marsabit County Governor Mohamud Mohamed Ali, while speaking at the launch event, emphasized the need for a positive approach and inclusiveness in tackling the climate crisis as it was a threat to all.

“Impacts of global climate change and variability are becoming more evident with increased incidences of droughts, floods, hailstorms, more hot days and heat waves, as has been experienced in the last decade. This is not unique to Kenya and Marsabit County,” the Governor said, adding that his administration had addressed climate change effects through sectors such as Water, by developing structures to increase availability of the commodity for livestock and human use.
“Through the Environment Sector we have embarked on conservation by spearheading tree growing initiatives and ecosystem conservation and embracing climate smart agriculture in order to increase food security,” he said.

The county government has also focused on Livestock Sector development as well as invested in health and nutrition initiatives.
Marsabit County has had effects of the climate crisis more manifested in loss of bio-diversity, range land degradation, over-abstraction of water, appearance of some invasive species like prosopi popularly known locally as Mathenge plant, which has also negatively affected land productivity. There are also frequent seasons of human and livestock diseases, flooding and recurrent droughts.

The Marsabit Climate Change Adaptation Policy was achieved with support from SNV Netherlands Development Organisation, the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) through her national platform KPCG, in conjunction with Marsabit Indigenous Organisation Network, and to a larger extent the Department of Environment and the County Assembly, through the Water and Environment Committee.

The governor reminded all in attendance that climate change was a global crisis, saying “each county is required to contribute to national priorities in relation to addressing climate change effects”.
Mr Mohamud said counties were mandated to address effects of climate change through formulation of Action Plans, development of adaptation policies, development of County Climate Change Fund Bill, formation of Sub-County and Ward level Climate Change Adaptation committees to embrace bottom-up management, as well as formation and activation of Climate change units.

The county has already embarked on development of Climate Change Fund Bill and Regulations. The fund will be used to address climate change actions in the county.
PACJA, in partnership with SNV, through the same stakeholders worked with in coming up with the policy, will take up the development of the regulations.
Adan Kanano, the County Executive Committee member for Water, Environment and Natural Resources, said the department had taken several steps to ensure climate change mitigation and adaptation measures are mainstreamed in all county planning. “The main goal of this policy is to enhance adaptive capacity and build resilience to climate change,” he said.

The launch comes after a week of deliberations and several other activities that included signing of MOUs to further initiatives that were beneficial to the local community. The PACJA and SNV team also left behind a Gender Mainstreaming toolkit, which is designed to enhance women’s participation in climate Change resilience initiatives.
“All of us are now called to action to see to it that the requirements of the launched climate change policy are met,” said Ms Warah.
The policy’s formation was spearheaded by the MIONET with support from Horizon3000 on one hand, and PACJA, with support from SNV on the other.