Kenya has secured approval to conduct its first comprehensive assessment of climate-related loss and damage, covering economic and non-economic impacts from 2015 to 2025.
Officials say the findings will shape national policy, future planning and funding requests tied to flooding and rising lake levels.
The State Department for Environment and Climate Change announced on Thursday that, through the Climate Change Directorate under the leadership of Principal Secretary Eng. Festus Ng’eno, it had “secured approval to undertake Kenya’s first-ever comprehensive Loss and Damage assessment.”
The initiative comes as climate change continues to affect communities across the country, with flooding and rising lake levels posing growing risks to livelihoods, infrastructure and ecosystems.
According to the department, “The Santiago Network Secretariat has launched a call for proposals to support Kenya in tackling climate-related loss and damage.”
The proposed project will examine the scale and scope of climate impacts over the past decade, while also projecting future risks.
“The project will assess economic and non-economic losses across all sectors (2015–2025) and develop future loss-and-damage scenarios up to 2035,” the statement said.
By covering both economic and non-economic losses, the assessment aims to capture not only financial costs but also social, cultural and environmental impacts linked to climate change.
Officials say the findings will play a central role in shaping policy and investment decisions.
“Findings will guide national policy, planning, and investment, helping Kenya better prevent, minimise, and respond to climate impacts,” the department said.
The study is also expected to strengthen the evidence base for decision-making across government.
“The work will generate robust data and scenario analysis to improve decision-making, resource allocation, and risk reduction,” the statement added.
Kenya has in recent years experienced severe flooding in several regions, as well as significant rises in water levels in major lakes, displacing communities and damaging infrastructure. Authorities say a structured loss and damage assessment will support more targeted responses.
Beyond producing data, the initiative is designed to build long-term institutional and community capacity.
“It will also build lasting national capacity, equipping government and communities with tools to assess loss and damage, integrate it into policies, and identify priority actions and funding needs,” the department said.
The assessment is also linked to broader efforts to secure international climate finance.
“This will compliment Environment and Climate Change preparations for request for funding to respond to the losses and damages associated with flooding and lake rising level,” the statement noted.
Under international climate frameworks, loss and damage refer to the impacts of climate change that cannot be avoided through mitigation or adaptation alone.
Countries vulnerable to climate impacts have increasingly sought structured assessments to strengthen funding proposals and policy responses.
The Santiago Network, which supports developing countries in addressing climate-related loss and damage, has invited expressions of interest to support Kenya’s assessment process.
Officials say the initiative represents a significant milestone in Kenya’s climate governance framework, marking the first time a comprehensive and nationally coordinated assessment of this nature will be undertaken.
As climate risks intensify, the government says the assessment will provide a foundation for evidence-based planning, improved resilience strategies and clearer identification of funding priorities.
By combining historical analysis with forward-looking scenarios up to 2035, authorities hope the study will help Kenya better anticipate future shocks while addressing the lasting impacts of recent climate events.
