Environmental Diplomacy and Climate Change Adaptation: the Case Study of Kenya

This study provides an in-depth analysis on environmental diplomacy and how it influences climate change adaptation and mitigation in Kenya. Climate change is considered a significant global challenge in the 21st century facing the international organizations. Climate change has detrimental effects on international security alongside global stability. The study’s general objective was to investigate the role of environmental diplomacy in advancing climate change mitigation and adaptation in Kenya. The specific objectives were: first to assess Kenya’s level of compliance with global environmental treaty obligations; secondly, to determine the role of environmental diplomacy in climate change adaptation in Kenya and third, to evaluate the challenges and opportunities in leveraging Kenya’s diplomatic efforts for Climate Change adaptation. The study utilized descriptive research design with the target population being environmental activists, government officials, NGO officials alongside diplomats. Purposive sampling technique was used to identify the respondents, after which proportionate sampling was applicable to categorise the sample respondents into ten per category. A semi-structured and interview guide were applicable as data collection instrument. Factor analysis was applicable with ordinal regression method employed to model the relationship between the ordinal outcome variable and the independent variables with results being presented in form tables and graphs. Thematic analysis was applicable in the analysis of the qualitative data. The key findings suggest that environmental diplomacy has a substantial impact on Kenya's climate adaption measures through facilitating discussions on several bilateral, regional, and international accords. The research emphasizes that successful environmental diplomacy involves the active participation of governments, organizations, and people in addressing climate-related requirements. Furthermore, the study highlights the importance of implementing complete plans that take into account the expenses of adaption and the monitoring of advancements. Suggestions involve strengthening Kenya's diplomatic efforts to enhance cooperation and efficacy in addressing climate change issues. In summary, the research provides vital knowledge on how environmental diplomacy might be utilized to promote climate action in Kenya and similar situations. The study recommends that environmental diplomacy should examine several aspects of implementation on adaptation strategies, including who will bear what costs and how progress may be tracked.