Kenya Hosts Inaugural REDD+ Global Summit 2026 to Advance Forest Conservation and Climate Action

Nairobi, 19 May 2026 – Kenya strengthened its position as a regional and global leader in climate action by hosting the inaugural REDD+ Global Summit 2026, bringing together governments, international organizations, development partners, technical experts and climate finance stakeholders to accelerate global efforts in forest conservation and sustainable carbon financing.
The summit was officially opened by the Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forestry, Dr. Deborah M. Barasa, accompanied by the Forestry Principal Secretary, Mr. Gitonga Mugambi. The three-day forum marked a significant milestone in advancing international collaboration on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) and promoting nature-based solutions to address the global climate crisis.
Held in Nairobi, the high-level summit convened senior government officials, global climate leaders, policymakers, financiers, Indigenous Peoples' representatives, civil society organizations, multilateral institutions and development partners committed to strengthening the implementation of REDD+ programmes across the world. The Kenyan delegation included senior Ministry officials led by Secretary for Forest Development Mr. George Tarus, alongside representatives of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) led by Mr. Dirk Nemitz and other international delegates.
In her keynote address, Dr. Barasa noted that the summit comes at a critical moment as countries intensify efforts to meet their commitments under the Paris Agreement and accelerate the adoption of nature-based solutions to combat climate change. She observed that since the adoption of the Warsaw Framework for REDD+ in 2013, considerable progress has been made globally in establishing the policy, institutional and technical frameworks required to reduce emissions resulting from deforestation and forest degradation.
The Cabinet Secretary emphasized that REDD+ has become a key mechanism under Article 5 of the Paris Agreement, supporting countries to conserve forests, enhance forest carbon stocks, promote sustainable forest management and strengthen climate resilience while delivering biodiversity conservation and sustainable livelihood benefits. She further highlighted the importance of strengthening technical capacity, fostering international partnerships and enhancing collaboration to accelerate the implementation of forest-based climate solutions.
Dr. Barasa also underscored the need to mobilize adequate climate finance, strengthen implementation mechanisms and establish equitable benefit-sharing systems that ensure Indigenous Peoples and forest-dependent communities are active participants and direct beneficiaries of REDD+ initiatives.
Forestry Principal Secretary Mr. Gitonga Mugambi highlighted Kenya's continued leadership in REDD+ readiness and implementation through the establishment of progressive governance and institutional frameworks that promote transparency, accountability and sustainable carbon market development. He noted that Kenya has consistently invested in strengthening its forest monitoring systems, policy environment and institutional capacity to support effective implementation of forest-based climate programmes.
The Principal Secretary further highlighted Kenya's landmark achievement as the first country in Africa to establish a National REDD+ Registry, describing it as a transformative step that has enhanced coordination of REDD+ activities, improved transparency in carbon transactions and strengthened the country's credibility in international climate finance and forest carbon initiatives. The registry is expected to play a central role in ensuring integrity, accountability and effective tracking of carbon projects while positioning Kenya as a preferred destination for high-quality forest carbon investments.
The REDD+ Global Summit 2026 is expected to strengthen international cooperation, promote knowledge exchange, mobilize investments and accelerate the implementation of innovative forest conservation initiatives that contribute to global climate goals, biodiversity conservation and sustainable development.