GENEVA, Switzerland — Kenya has reinforced its commitment to global environmental governance as it joined high-level international talks on chemicals, waste, and pollution in Geneva, positioning science-based policy as central to sustainable development and public health protection.
The Principal Secretary for Environment and Climate Change, Dr Eng. Festus K. Ng’eno, led Kenya’s delegation to the inaugural plenary session of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Panel on Chemicals, Waste and Pollution (ISP-CWP), which runs from February 2 to 6, 2026, at the Geneva International Conference Centre.
Ahead of the session, Dr Ng’eno paid a courtesy call on Kenya’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Fancy Too, at the Kenyan Embassy, where discussions focused on strengthening multilateral cooperation on environmental governance.
During the engagement, the PS said Kenya was committed to advancing the sound management of chemicals and waste, while tackling pollution across its entire lifecycle through evidence-driven policy.
“Kenya recognises the importance of aligning global scientific evidence with national and regional policy priorities to support sustainable development, protect human health and safeguard ecosystems,” Ng’eno said.
The ISP-CWP is a newly established independent intergovernmental body mandated to strengthen the global science-policy interface on chemicals, waste and pollution.
It is designed to provide policymakers with credible, policy-relevant scientific assessments to support informed decision-making at national, regional and global levels.
Ng’eno said Kenya viewed the panel as a critical mechanism, particularly for developing countries that bear disproportionate environmental and health burdens linked to pollution and hazardous waste.
“Evidence-based environmental governance is essential for countries like Kenya, where pollution directly threatens livelihoods, ecosystems and public health,” he said.
Ambassador Fancy Too reaffirmed Kenya’s support for multilateral environmental processes, noting that the Geneva Mission plays a strategic role in advancing the country’s environmental and climate diplomacy.
She assured the Kenyan delegation of the mission’s full cooperation during the ISP-CWP plenary and associated negotiations.
“The Geneva Mission remains fully committed to supporting Kenya’s engagement in global environmental governance and ensuring our priorities are effectively articulated in multilateral forums,” Too said.
The meeting was attended by Ambassador James Waweru (Foreign Affairs), Ms Linda Kosgei (Environment), Mr Tobias Ogweno (Foreign Affairs), and other senior government officials.
