… restoration drive By Citizen Reporter June 26, 2026 03:02 (EAT) Add as a Preferred Source on Google Follow us Follow on Whatsapp Follow on Google Follow on Twitter First Lady Rachel Ruto and Kenya's Ambassador, Permanent Representative to the United Nations Environment Programme …
NAIROBI, Kenya Jun 26 – NAKURU, Kenya, Jun 26 – First Lady Rachel Ruto and Kenya’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to UNEP Ida Odinga on Thursday led a major tree-planting exercise in the Mau Forest Complex as part of a long-term conservation programme aimed at restoring …
… According to the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Chemicals and Waste Unit, over 3.2 billion people globally are affected by the degradation of land and soils, posing risks to health and food security. …
… Meanwhile, Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, called for greater investment in resilient infrastructure and warned that exceeding the 1.5°C global warming threshold would significantly increase climate risks for cities, particularly in …
… Meanwhile, Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, called for greater investment in resilient infrastructure and warned that exceeding the 1.5°C global warming threshold would significantly increase climate risks for cities, particularly in …
… Although often mistaken for underwater plants or rocks, corals are living animals that form some of the most diverse ecosystems on Earth.According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), coral reefs cover less than one per cent of the ocean floor but support at least …
… The DP highlighted Kenya's partnership with global environmental institutions, including the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), noting that international cooperation remains critical in addressing land …
… The Deputy President highlighted Kenya’s collaboration with international environmental agencies, including the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), saying global partnerships remain essential in tackling …
… their own development paths," Guo said, adding that mutual learning creates the necessary synergy to accelerate global development.The appeal for diplomatic engagement was strongly echoed by Ida Odinga, Kenya’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Environment Programme …
First Lady Rachel Ruto and Ida Odinga led a tree-planting exercise in the Mau Forest Complex as part of the Integrated Conservation and Livelihood Improvement Programme, which aims to plant more than 40 million tree seedlings over the next decade to rehabilitate the forest and support the national campaign to grow 15 billion trees by 2032.
Why it matters
First Lady leads Mau Forest tree-planting restoration drive as part of national campaign to grow 15 billion trees by 2032.
First Lady Rachel Ruto and Ida Odinga led a tree-planting exercise in the Mau Forest Complex as part of the Integrated Conservation and Livelihood Improvement Programme, which aims to plant more than 40 million tree seedlings over the next decade to rehabilitate the forest and support the national campaign to grow 15 billion trees by 2032.
First Lady Rachel Ruto and Kenya's Ambassador to UNEP Ida Odinga led a tree-planting exercise in the Mau Forest Complex as part of a long-term conservation programme targeting the planting of more than 40 million seedlings over the next decade to restore degraded forest landscapes. The First Lady adopted 33 hectares within the forest as part of the restoration campaign.
Kenya generated 55,956 tonnes of electronic waste in 2025, with small household equipment accounting for 21,942 tonnes and ICT equipment contributing 6,608 tonnes, according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. Improper e-waste handling poses threats to the environment, animal and human health, with studies linking it to biodiversity loss.
Global leaders, scientists, policymakers and city officials meeting in Nairobi at the 2026 Innovate4Cities Conference have called for deeper collaboration between governments, researchers, businesses and communities to accelerate climate action and build sustainable cities amid rapid urbanization. UN-Habitat Executive Director Anacláudia Rossbach warned that Africa's cities are expanding at an unprecedented pace while millions lack adequate housing and basic urban services.
Global leaders, scientists, policymakers and city officials meeting in Nairobi at the 2026 Innovate4Cities Conference have called for deeper collaboration between governments, researchers, businesses and communities to accelerate climate action and build sustainable cities. UN-Habitat Executive Director Anacláudia Rossbach warned that Africa's cities are expanding at an unprecedented pace while millions lack adequate housing and basic urban services.
A coral fragment planted by King Charles III during a state visit to Kenya's Kuruwitu Conservation Area in November 2023 has flourished beneath the waves as part of community-led marine ecosystem restoration efforts protecting against overfishing, coral extraction, and climate change.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has called for enhanced global action to restore degraded rangelands and strengthen ecosystem resilience, saying Kenya is committed to planting 15 billion trees by 2032 to combat land degradation, drought and desertification.
Deputy President Kindiki opened the 11th Our Ocean Conference in Mombasa, affirming the government's commitment to preserve Kenya's ocean for economic growth and future generations. President Ruto highlighted in a video-link address that the ocean powers industries and feeds families but faces threats including global warming, plastic pollution, and illegal fishing.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has called on the international community to intensify efforts to restore degraded rangelands and strengthen ecosystem resilience, warning that land degradation threatens livelihoods, food security, and environmental stability. Kenya is committed to planting 15 billion trees by 2032 to counter drought, desertification, and environmental degradation.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called for enhanced mutual trust and deeper understanding through global dialogue to cross geopolitical divides, outlining a four-pronged strategy emphasizing mutual respect, equality, a people-oriented approach, and balancing traditional culture with modern innovation.
Performers from Gansu Province presented Dunhuang-inspired music, dance, and classical instrumentation at the United Nations Office in Nairobi for the International Day for Dialogue Among Civilizations commemoration, blending performance art with China's narrative of civilizational exchange and global cooperation.
China used the International Day for Dialogue Among Civilizations at UNON to rally support for its Global Civilization Initiative, with Chinese Ambassador Guo Haiyan calling for deeper exchanges among nations and civilizations to address geopolitical tensions. The event highlighted four proposals from Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi: promoting mutual respect among civilizations, deepening people-centered exchanges, balancing cultural heritage with innovation, and strengthening mechanisms for dialogue and mutual learning.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki said Kenya has committed Sh140 billion toward the expansion of the United Nations Office in Nairobi, complementing Sh44 billion invested by the UN, and that the government has allocated USD 1.1 billion for infrastructure upgrades around the Gigiri diplomatic enclave.
Deputy President Kindiki said Kenya has allocated Ksh.140 billion to support the United Nations Office in Nairobi expansion project, which the UN has allocated Ksh.44 billion for. Kenya has also invested USD 1.1 billion in infrastructure around the Gigiri diplomatic enclave to support the modernization.
Kenya has allocated about Sh140 billion to support the expansion of United Nations offices in Nairobi, with the UN contributing Sh44 billion, as part of a broader Sh140 billion investment to modernize the Gigiri diplomatic enclave's infrastructure. Deputy President Kithure Kindiki said the government views the expansion as both a strategic diplomatic achievement and an economic opportunity to elevate Nairobi's global status.
Anthony Khisa, a 40-year-old environmentalist in Bungoma County, has spent three years planting indigenous fruit-bearing trees under the Adopt-a-Tree initiative across schools, aiming to reverse environmental degradation and preserve traditional knowledge of Kenya's indigenous fruits and trees.
Kenya will commemorate World Environment Day in Ol Kalou, Nyandarua County, focusing on protection of the Aberdare ecosystem, a critical water tower sustaining millions of livelihoods and essential to the country's food security, water supply, and climate resilience.
Stakeholders have urged Kenya to prioritize safer and more inclusive streets that better protect pedestrians and cyclists, who form the backbone of daily mobility across the country, as the world marks World Bicycle Day. According to Kenya's 2023/24 Housing Survey, 72.7% of Kenyans walk to work, with walking accounting for nearly half of daily trips in Nairobi.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Mudavadi addressed Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul, calling for renewed Global South solidarity and stronger multilateral cooperation, and warning that rising unilateralism and weaponisation of economic tools are straining multilateralism as countries rethink their diplomatic and economic strategies.
An opinion piece argues that ODM has fallen into disarray seven months after Raila Odinga's death, with Senator Oburu Oginga's interim leadership showing insufficient capacity to preserve the party. The turmoil intensified after August 2024, when ODM's chairman, Minority Leader, and two deputy party leaders joined President Ruto's Cabinet following a handshake with Raila, which critics said undermined the party's role as the principal opposition force.
Stakeholders in tourism and conservation have called for increased investment in cultural tourism, described as one of the fastest-growing segments of the global tourism industry and a driver of economic growth and community empowerment. The calls were made at the China–Africa Eco-cultural Tourism and Biodiversity Cooperation event at Kenya's National Museums, where speakers highlighted growing international and domestic demand for authentic cultural experiences.
China and Kenya have renewed calls for stronger cooperation in biodiversity conservation and ecological protection at a wildlife and wetlands exhibition held at the National Museums of Kenya in Nairobi, titled "Enchanted Encounters: From China's Yellow Sea Wetlands to African Savannas." The exhibition, marking the International Day for Biological Diversity, brought together diplomats, conservation experts, and tourism officials from both countries.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and Kenya's Ambassador to UNEP Ida Odinga are headlining a 10-kilometre peace and conservation race in Elgeyo-Marakwet County to launch the Cherangany Hills Ecosystem Restoration for Livelihood Improvement, Sustainability and Harmony (CHERISH) programme, aimed at rehabilitating one of Kenya's five major water towers while creating green jobs and promoting peace-building in the North Rift region.
A United Nations Environment Programme report released in Nairobi found that buildings' operational emissions rose by one per cent in 2024 to 9.9 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide, and the sector accounts for nearly 37 per cent of global emissions despite efforts to improve energy efficiency. The report warns that the pace of decarbonisation remains insufficient to meet the global net-zero target for 2050.
Kenya has hosted the first-ever Global REDD+ Summit in Nairobi, bringing together representatives from 59 REDD+ countries, four donor nations and 14 international organisations to accelerate action against deforestation and climate change. Environment Cabinet Secretary Dr. Deborah Barasa noted the gathering comes at a critical moment for meeting Paris Agreement targets.
African parliamentarians from 21 countries met in Nairobi and committed to strengthening coordination among African legislatures to advance a unified continental position in global climate and methane negotiations, insisting that international frameworks must reflect Africa's development priorities and food security concerns.
Barbados's climate ambassador Elizabeth Thompson proposed mandatory financing and legally binding mechanisms to compel countries to reduce methane emissions, arguing that voluntary climate commitments are failing. Speaking at a two-day Regional Parliamentary Seminar on Methane Emissions and Climate Action in Nairobi, Thompson said methane reduction offers the fastest route to slowing warming in the short term due to the gas's high heat-trapping capacity.
African lawmakers have been urged to dismantle legislative and regulatory barriers blocking climate financing and fast-track methane reduction policies. Climate experts warned that Africa receives only a fraction of global climate financing due to legal and policy bottlenecks within national systems.
Climate experts and development partners have called for a unified national approach to methane reduction, warning that rising emissions threaten Kenya's agriculture, economy, and public health while pushing the climate crisis toward irreversible tipping points. The call came during a Parliament-Media Breakfast Dialogue on Methane Emissions, ahead of an Inter-Parliamentary Union regional seminar on methane and climate action scheduled for mid-May in Nairobi.
Climate stakeholders have called on the government to fast-track regulations governing carbon credit trading and methane financing, arguing that delays in approvals and policy frameworks are slowing investments in waste recycling, clean energy and climate mitigation projects. According to Regen Organics Managing Director Michael Lwoyelo, Kenya has an opportunity to position itself as a leader in carbon markets and circular economy investments but requires clearer government-backed systems to regulate and approve carbon credit projects.