ADVERT 
ADVERTThe County Government of Siaya has embarked on a major review of its Siaya County Climate Change Policy, 2020, in a move aimed at strengthening climate governance and positioning the county to better confront the mounting challenges and opportunities presented by climate change.
The review comes as Siaya builds on significant progress made since 2020, including the implementation of the Siaya County Climate Change Action Plan 2023–2028 and growing experience with locally led climate action.
Climate change expert David Oremo emerged as one of the notable voices during the review process, impressing stakeholders with his contribution to discussions on practical, community-centred and sustainable climate action.
The exercise, however, goes beyond updating a policy document. It seeks to reshape how Siaya plans, finances, coordinates and delivers climate action across the county.
Once revised, the policy is expected to strengthen Siaya’s capacity to build climate resilience, protect livelihoods and ecosystems, mobilize and account for climate financing, and integrate climate considerations into county planning and budgeting.
ADVERTIt will also provide a framework for advancing climate-smart agriculture, water security for households and livestock, ecosystem restoration, green development and inclusive climate action.
Importantly, the revised framework is expected to ensure that women, men, young people and persons with disabilities are meaningfully included in climate decision-making and implementation.
Chief Officer Jared Abayo, who also served as the workshop coordinator, said the success of the review would ultimately depend on public ownership of the policy.
“We want this policy to be owned by the people of Siaya,” Abayo said, underscoring the importance of putting communities at the centre of the county’s climate agenda.
He said the review would be participatory and evidence-based, creating opportunities for communities, county departments, national government agencies, the private sector, civil society organisations, academia and development partners to contribute.
The approach signals a shift from climate policy as a technical government document to a practical framework capable of guiding investment, development and community action at the grassroots.
For Siaya, where agriculture, water resources, livelihoods and natural ecosystems remain closely linked to changing weather patterns, effective climate governance could prove critical to protecting communities while unlocking new opportunities in green development.
The county is therefore seeking a climate policy that is not only ambitious but also practical, inclusive, financially credible and accountable for results.
The review comes at a time when counties across Kenya are under increasing pressure to translate climate commitments into tangible interventions that improve household resilience, safeguard natural resources and protect development investments.
Stakeholders involved in the Siaya process are expected to help shape a framework that can translate climate priorities into measurable action, strengthen coordination among institutions and ensure climate financing delivers value to communities.
The ultimate ambition is clear: to build a climate-resilient Siaya where communities are empowered to lead local solutions, ecosystems are protected, investments are climate-proofed and no section of society is left behind.
The ongoing review could therefore become an important turning point in Siaya’s environmental governance—moving the county from climate planning to stronger implementation, accountability and locally driven results.
