Kenya’s Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, and Forestry is rallying for support, both locally and globally, to back its ambitious plan of planting 15 billion trees by 2032.
This initiative, presented at the COP28 climate conference in Dubai, comes with a hefty price tag of Sh.500 billion, requiring an annual budget of Sh.50 billion.
The appeal for partnerships extends to various regions, including Kenya’s designated forests, wetlands spanning grasslands, mountains, and water towers, as well as mangroves and coastal ecosystems.
The challenges faced by the country in executing this initiative involve aspects such as seedling propagation, fencing, ecosystem adoption for restoration, nurseries, logistical support, and communication campaigns.
At its core, the 15 billion trees initiative aims to rejuvenate and safeguard 10.6 million hectares of deteriorated landscapes and ecosystems.
The ultimate goal is to achieve a 30% tree cover in Kenya by 2032, promoting biodiversity conservation, environmental sustainability, sustainable livelihoods, climate resilience, and socio-economic development.
To streamline efforts, the National Landscape and Ecosystems Restoration Strategy focuses on coordinating actions for the rehabilitation of seven degraded landscapes and ecosystems.
The ministry underscores the urgency of addressing key degradation drivers in each ecosystem to prevent, halt, and reverse environmental decline.
Critical activities outlined for reaching the 15 billion trees goal by 2032 are part of the broader National Landscape and Ecosystem program, targeting seven ecosystems: forests, agroecosystems, wetlands, rangelands, settled areas, mountain ecosystems, and marine ecosystems.
The initiative holds constitutional significance as it aligns with the requirement of achieving a 30% tree cover.
Beyond this, it promises economic benefits, employment opportunities, increased forest products, climate change mitigation, adherence to Sustainable Development Goal 13 on climate action, fulfillment of the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) world target for reducing global warming, bolstering community resilience to climate change and natural disasters, and fostering biodiversity conservation and ecosystem restoration.
During COP28 in Dubai, Kenyan Cabinet Secretaries Soipan Tuya (Forestry) and Njuguna Ndung’u (Treasury) spearheaded a presentation alongside other delegates, engaging in a side event session with representatives from the World Bank.
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