KENYA SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT Essentials of Climate Change Management for Policy Makers October 2019 1 1. INTRODUCTION This climate change management program has been developed in response to recent trends in the global environment, affecting livelihoods and sustainability of human existence. The highlights of these trends can be discussed thus: i. Climate change is presently the most pressing challenge to realization of sustainable development – indeed continued existence of entire humanity. According to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) climate change entails a change of climate attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere which contributes to natural climate variability over comparable time periods. ii. In turn, climate change adversely affects food production, social and economic development, and pursuit of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), particularly SGD number 13, 14. The objective of UNFCCC is to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with climate system in order to allow different ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change. iii. Countries are now individually and collectively under the compelling need to combat climate change and its impact; conserve sustainable use of oceans, sea and marine resources and sustain management of forests, combat deserts, and halt and reverse land degradation and loss of biodiversity. The terms of the Kyoto Protocol in committing developed countries to reduce the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and also the provisions of the African Union Agenda 2063 on inclusive growth and sustainable development through effective stewardship of resources are also quite instructive. iv. The effects of climate change are experienced in Kenya as elsewhere around the world and, being an abiding member of the international, the country has demonstrated commitment to undertake both individually and in concert with others to take measures to protect its unique natural endowment and ecosystems by developing climate resilient economies through adaptation and mitigation policy actions; that is, planning, decision making and implementation. 2 v. Indeed, the country has ratified the Paris Agreement, 2016, developed the Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) and the National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP 2013-2017), and enacted a dedicated legislation – the Climate Change Act, 2016. The outstanding Government policy measure is to systematically develop knowledge and competencies in public service leading to incorporation of climate change adaptation and mitigation in policy making and budgeting. The climate change management program through has been developed at the Kenya School of Government in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources to meet this need. 2. RATIONALE OF THE PROGRAM The climate change management program is a direct response to the requirements of the country in the search for sustainable development. Some specific observations can be made in this regard. i. Kenya has begun to experience the unprecedented impact of climate change: extreme climatic events such as droughts and floods, rising temperatures, and widened variability in rainfall patterns. The effects of climate change now threaten the economy and realization of the Kenya Vision 2030 goals. ii. While the Government has taken some notable measures to respond to the problem of climate change such as conclusion of treaties, development of frameworks for action, and legislation, implementation will depend on practical mainstreaming climate change mitigation and adaptation actions in planning and budgeting across socio-economic sectors with support from the National Treasury at the head of the Green Climate Fund and the National Environment Management Authority. iii. Already, mainstreaming climate change actions in planning and budgeting is underway at the national and county levels and some positive results can be noticed in form of enhanced resilience to climate change. Nevertheless, Kenya remains 3 vulnerable to the impact of climate change such as expressed through increased frequency and intensity of extreme climate events, namely droughts and floods. iv. Vulnerability of the country to climate change is exacerbated by high dependency of the economy on climate-sensitive sectors, especially agriculture, energy, wildlife, tourism, water and health. Further, climate change has the potential to roll back development gains that have been made over the years and inhibit efforts towards the achievement of the SDG v. Whereas initial steps have been taken in Kenya in preparation for climate change adaptation and mitigation, completion of the circle and undertake desired climate change-related activities requires capacity building in public service to bridge present and emerging knowledge and competency gaps. The critical capacity building requirements invariably have to focus on mainstreaming climate change matters in policy and budget making in all Government Ministries, Departments and agencies, including County level Governments. The School has therefore entered collaboration with relevant Government Ministries and agencies as well as other stakeholders to develop training program on “Climate Change Management’ for middle and senior-level public servants who are involved in decision making on policy and budget matters. 3. STRUCTURE OF THE PROGRAM a. Entry Requirements The program is suited for upper level policy makers in Government Ministries and agencies at both national and county level. These will be officials with capacity to guide policy and budget making so as to incorporate climate change sensibilities. b. Duration Essentials of Climate Change for Policy Makers is a course that runs approximately 60 minutes. c. Aim of the Program 4 This program is designed to provide appropriate knowledge, competence and attitude to mainstream climate change mitigation and adaptation measures in policy making and the planning and budgeting process. d. Learning Objectives Participants should by the end of the program be able to: i. Provide some understanding on the global, national and county institutional and regulatory frameworks on climate change. ii. Understand the roles and responsibilities of county and national government in the implementation climate change actions. iii. Enable the top manager understand the need mainstream climate change actions in policy, planning and budgeting processes. iv. Sensitize the leaders available climate funding sources and the need for strategies for mobilizing resources for county climate change actions. e. Delivery Methodology The course will be delivered online f. Program Content i. Common Terminologies used Climate Change ii. Indicators, Impact and Climate Change Response Actions iii. Climate Policy Framework iv. Climate Actions v. Funding Mechanism for Climate Change Actions vi. Reporting Mechanism for Climate Change Actions 5 4. CONTENT DETAILS A summary of the content covered by each of the units is given in Table 1. Table 1: Summary of the Program Content Section Title Content Section 1 Common Terminologies used i. Weather Climate Change ii. Climate iii. Climate Change iv. Greenhouse Gasses v. Greenhouse effect vi. Global Warming vii. Adaptation viii. Mitigation Section 2 Indicators, Impact and Climate i. Indicators of Climate Change Change Response Actions ii. Impact of Climate Change iii. Response action by County Government Section 3 Climate Policy Framework i. Global Level ii. Regional Level iii. National Level iv. County Level Section 4 Climate Actions i. Climate Change Adaption ii. Climate Change Mitigation iii. Climate Change Resilience Building Section 5 Funding Mechanism for Climate i. Climate Change Financing at Change Actions Global Level ii. Climate Change Financing at National Level iii. Climate Change Financing at County Level 6 Section Title Content Section 5 Reporting Mechanism for Climate i. Internationally – UNNFCCC Change Actions ii. Internationally – Paris Agreement iii. Nationally – National Climate Change Council 5. RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS The participants will require an electronic device with access to internet, e.g. computer, tablet or mobile phone that can support multi-media aids including audios and videos. An intenet connection will be required to access the program. Additional resources can be downloaded and read off-line or accessed through a link to the relevant website 7