Kenya is a Party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change(UNFCCC), its Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement and is taking measures to address climate change and implement relevant decisions. The country’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) under the Paris Agreement includes mitigation and adaptation contributions. On adaptation, Kenya plans to ensure enhanced resilience to climate change towards the attainment of Vision 2030 by mainstreaming climate change into the Medium Term Plans (MTPs) and implementing adaptation actions. In mitigation, Kenya seeks to abate its GHG emissions by 30% by 2030 relative to the BAU scenario of 143 MtCO2eq.

When it comes to climate actions, effective Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) of actions is critical to help countries to understand the Greenhouse gases(GHG) sources and trends, design mitigation and adaptation strategies, track climate finance and support, enhance credibility and take necessary policy actions. A robust MRV system is not only important for national policy decisions but also a key requirement under UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement.

Additionally, the country has enacted the Climate Change Act in 2016, which provides an enhanced response to climate change action and provides mechanisms and measures to achieve low carbon and climate resilient development. The Act has key provisions on measurement, reporting and verification related provisions.

The Nationally Determined Contribution(NDC) Support Programme is funded by the Government of Germany through the United Nations Development Programme. The Programme is implemented through the framework of Low Emission and Climate Resilient Development project (LECRD) Project and is implemented by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry. The objective of the programme in Kenya is to contribute towards implementation of the Kenya’s NDC and Climate Change Act 2016 while ensuring that implementation serves as a driver for sustainable development at the national level and contribute towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Key output of the NDC support programme is to enhance integrated governance for NDC implementation. This includes support for analysis and implementation of Kenya’s Measurement Reporting and Verification (MRV) system for climate change actions. Kenya’s MRV work is implemented through range of projects and initiatives. In order to enhance coordination and synergy to support effective implementation of Kenya’s MRV+ system as envisioned in the first and second National Climate Change Actions Plans, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry with support from NDC support programme organised a technical workshop at the Gelian Hotel, Machakos from 10th to 13th July 2018.