Kenya Launches National Biodiversity Coordination Mechanism to Bolster Conservation Efforts
NAIROBI, August 10, 2024 — In a significant step towards safeguarding its natural heritage, Kenya has launched the National Biodiversity Coordination Mechanism, aimed at streamlining and enhancing the country's conservation efforts. The initiative, unveiled on Friday in Nairobi, seeks to foster better coordination of biodiversity-related activities across multiple levels of governance and stakeholders.
Speaking during the launch, Festus Ng'eno, Principal Secretary at the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, and Forestry, emphasized the mechanism's vital role in ensuring the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity for both present and future generations.
"This coordination mechanism will be crucial in supporting the implementation of both national and international commitments, aligning Kenya’s efforts with the goals of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which calls for urgent action to mitigate biodiversity threats and promote sustainable resource use by 2030," Ng'eno stated.
The new mechanism aims to harmonize biodiversity conservation goals, policies, and practices across national, county, and community levels, ensuring a unified approach to protecting Kenya’s vast natural resources. It will also serve as a critical tool in aligning Kenya’s strategies with key global conventions such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Dr. Erustus Kanga Director-General of the Kenya Wildlife Service, noted the urgency of addressing unprecedented challenges that are currently threatening biodiversity in the country.
“Climate change, habitat destruction, pollution, and the over-exploitation of natural resources are serious threats to our biodiversity. This mechanism offers a strategic path to collaborate on solutions that will mitigate these threats and enhance our conservation efforts,” Kanga remarked.
The launch of the National Biodiversity Coordination Mechanism marks a pivotal moment in Kenya's commitment to biodiversity conservation, providing a platform for stronger collaboration, strategic planning, and collective action towards the protection of its rich ecological heritage.
With this mechanism in place, Kenya is poised to make significant strides in achieving the goals outlined in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, ensuring the sustainable management of its natural resources and promoting a balance between environmental protection and the needs of its people.
