Kenya’s loss, damage milestone signals new chapter for Africa climate agenda

These are the realities of loss and damage, the climate impacts that persist even after all reasonable efforts to adapt. It is against this backdrop that Kenya has achieved a major milestone on the global climate stage.

At the UNFCCC Subsidiary Bodies (SB64) Climate Meetings in Bonn, Germany, Kenya became the first African country and only the second in the world to secure technical assistance from the Santiago Network on Loss and Damage.

The support package, valued at about $700,000, will support a comprehensive national assessment of climate-related loss and damage experienced over the last decade.

While this may appear technical, it represents a significant breakthrough for both Kenya and Africa.

For years, climate discussions have focused primarily on reducing emissions and strengthening adaptation. Yet communities across the Global South increasingly face climate impacts that cannot be prevented or fully adapted to.

The challenge is no longer whether losses are occurring, but how they are measured, documented, financed, and addressed.

Through the Environment ministry and the Directorate of Climate Change, Kenya will now undertake a nationwide assessment of both economic and non-economic losses.

These include damage to infrastructure, agriculture, livestock, and livelihoods, as well as biodiversity loss, cultural heritage erosion, ecosystem degradation, and the loss of indigenous and traditional knowledge.

The significance of this exercise extends beyond data collection. Reliable evidence on climate losses will strengthen decision-making, improve access to climate finance, and provide a stronger foundation for climate action. It will also strengthen Kenya’s National Adaptation Plan by ensuring that the actual costs and impacts inform climate resilience strategies.

Speaking in Bonn, Environment PS Festus Ng’eno said the technical assistance would strengthen Kenya’s capacity to assess climate impacts and support evidence-based planning, financing, and adaptation.

Kenya’s latest achievement is therefore more than a national success. It is a reminder that Africa is no longer merely participating in climate negotiations. It is increasingly helping define the solutions.

The writer is a climate action enthusiast and a communications specialist at Windward Communications Consultancy. [email protected]