Republic of KenyaKenya Forest ServiceKenya NFMS-FIPNational Forest Monitoring System – Forest Information PlatformHealthy Forests • Resilient Ecosystems • People and Nature • Data for Action

Policies & Legal Framework

Forest, conservation, environmental, climate and data policies and regulations.

Climate Policies

Kenya follows UNFCCC guidance from the Conference of the Parties (COP). The principal decisions defining the NFMS are:

  • Decision 4/CP.15 (Copenhagen, 2009): robust, transparent national forest monitoring systems combining remote sensing and ground-based inventory, with estimates that are transparent, consistent, as accurate as possible and available for review.
  • Decision 1/CP.16 (Cancun, 2010): the five REDD+ activities, and four elements to develop: a national REDD+ strategy or action plan, a FREL/FRL, a national forest monitoring system and a safeguards information system.
  • Decision 11/CP.19 (Warsaw, 2013): NFMS should build on existing systems, assess all forest types including natural forest, be flexible and allow improvement, and reflect the phased approach.

Kenya takes a step-wise approach (Decision 12/CP.17, paragraph 10): the NFMS reflects the latest available information and may be modified as better data become available.

Kenya's climate framework (Second NDC)

Climate laws, plans and commitments
InstrumentRole
Constitution of Kenya 2010Right to a clean and healthy environment
Climate Change Act 2016 (amended 2023)Legal framework; National Climate Change Council; Climate Change Directorate; climate change units; 2023 amendment on carbon markets
National Climate Change Action Plans (2013–2017, 2018–2022, 2023–2027)Five-year plans that implement the NDC
National Adaptation Plan 2015–2030Climate hazards, vulnerability and priority adaptation actions
Kenya Vision 2030 and the draft Long-Term Low-Emission Development StrategyLong-term development blueprint; a new blueprint follows 2030
First NDC (2015), updated NDC (2020), Second NDC (2025)32% reduction by 2030 (2020); 35% below business as usual by 2035 (2025)
  • National Climate Change Council: chaired by the President; oversight and coordination.
  • Climate Change Directorate: lead agency for climate plans, MRV and reporting; secretariat to the Council.
  • Climate Change Units in every ministry, county, department and agency.
  • NEMA: enforces climate change duties; Designated National Authority for Article 6 carbon markets (since 2023).

Source: Ministry of Environment and Forestry, National Forest Monitoring System in the Republic of Kenya, Version 1 (Draft), February 2021. Chapter 2, UNFCCC requirements.

Source: Kenya's Second Nationally Determined Contribution 2031–2035, Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry, 2025.