NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenya has stepped up efforts to strengthen international partnerships on climate action and sustainable urban development, with officials from Nairobi and Italy holding talks on advancing the Green Cities in Action for Africa programme.
Environment and Climate Change Principal Secretary Dr. Festus Ng’eno joined Kenyan and Italian delegations in discussions aimed at identifying practical areas of collaboration to support Kenya’s climate agenda, including sustainable urban planning, waste management, and clean energy initiatives.
The Italian delegation, led by Director General for Development Cooperation Stefano Gatti and attended by the Mayor of Turin, emphasized the need to move beyond dialogue and develop a clear implementation framework.
Gatti said Italy was ready to go beyond financing and actively participate in project execution.
“Effective collaboration will depend on clearly defining institutional capacities and areas of intervention,” Gatti said, stressing the importance of translating commitments into measurable outcomes.
Ng’eno highlighted Kenya’s pressing environmental challenges, citing continued degradation of the Mau Forest Complex and rising water levels in Rift Valley lakes, including Lake Baringo, Lake Nakuru, Lake Turkana, and Lake Naivasha.
He called for enhanced technical and financial cooperation to safeguard ecosystems and support climate resilience.
Officials said the meeting also explored opportunities under Article 6 of the global carbon markets framework, with waste management and clean energy identified as key entry points for joint action.
The framework allows countries to collaborate on emissions reduction projects while sharing carbon credits.
County leaders who attended the discussions emphasized the urgency of implementing practical solutions. Nairobi Deputy Governor James Muchiri called for integrated approaches linking urban centres with surrounding catchment areas.
He noted that ecosystems in neighbouring counties, including Kajiado, play a critical role in supporting Nairobi’s water and environmental needs.
Muchiri said the Green Cities initiative could unlock benefits for residents through river restoration, improved waste management, and broader environmental regeneration.
Kisumu Deputy Governor Dr. Matthew Ochieng described solid waste management as an emerging crisis, revealing that priority intervention zones had already been identified.
He said the county government was now shifting focus to the implementation of targeted projects.
The talks concluded with a shared commitment to develop a concrete action plan to guide the delivery of scalable projects.
Officials said the Green Cities initiative would form a key pillar in Kenya’s transition toward sustainable urban growth, climate resilience, and inclusive development.
