Kenya Lauded for Transformative Housing Plan and Nairobi River Clean-up at COP30

Kenya has received high international commendation for its ambitious Affordable Housing Programme for the urban poor and the transformative Nairobi Rivers Regeneration Programme.

The two initiatives have been lauded by representatives of various United Nations agencies as the most consequential measures undertaken by any country in the global south to bolster climate change resilience in major urban centres, utilizing resources generated domestically.

The praise was delivered during the COP 30 Conference in Belem, Brazil, where Deputy President Kithure Kindiki engaged with delegates from the UN Climate Action Team, UN-Habitat, and the secretariat of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The DP underscored the government’s commitment to these programmes, which lie at the core of the national development agenda and directly address vulnerabilities faced by low-income communities.

Furthermore, Professor Kindiki welcomed the newly established Building Climate Resilience with the Urban Poor (BCRUP) Programme, an initiative co-led by Kenya and Brazil.

The BCRUP intends to tackle underlying social and infrastructure deficiencies, such as poverty and weak governance frameworks, that exacerbate climate impacts.

During his engagement, the Deputy President called for a more robust and unified role for UN agencies in delivering climate adaptation solutions to the urban poor.

The DP specifically advocated for prioritizing crucial elements such as climate financing, technology transfer, and capacity building to ensure the sustainability and scalability of resilience efforts.

Looking ahead, the DP championed a move to secure a United Nations General Assembly resolution on climate resilience for the urban poor, pressing for the integration of the BCRUP's foundational principles into the final resolutions of COP 30.

This push for global acknowledgment positions Kenya as a leading voice in developing practical, ground-up solutions to urban climate challenges.