Nyamira County Climate Change Act, no. 4 of 2021.

This Act, divided into twelve parts and consisting of 65 sections, provides for ensuring the County government, stakeholders and local communities to respond effectively to climate change through appropriate adaptation and mitigation measures and particularly through the following actions: mainstreaming climate change in different sectors; strengthening climate change unit and its tasks; fostering climate resilience and reducing greenhouse gas emissions; financing climate change mitigation and adaptation processes; increasing the involvement of community, citizens, private sector, agencies, in climate change response measures; receiving grants from national government; implementing any relevant obligations of the State under international agreements related to the matter; providing for administrative and procedural matters. The Act is inspired and guided by the following principles, including: protection of the right to a clean and healthy environment, respect and integration of indigenous knowledge of communities in climate change response, investment in public goods.
Part II of the Act concerns institutional framework and particularly: appointment of committees, specification of their functions, including ensuring coordination among institutions, identifying obstacles to the implementation of climate change policies, preparing detailed projects. Part III concerns the establishment of the climate change directorate unit, and the specification of its duties and responsibilities, including taking measures to anticipate, prevent or minimise the causes and the adverse effects of climate change, and preventing the anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases in agriculture, forestry, waste management, energy, transport and other relevant sectors, encouraging public participation in addressing climate change issues. Part IV concerns targeted actions and measures including the drafting, preparation and approval of a County Climate Change Action Plan. Part V focuses on mitigation and adaptation measures in various sectors, including: encouraging urban and rural planning in order to have areas resilient to climate change; strengthening afforestation and reforestation programmes, and increasing forest plantation, fast-growing tree species, drought-resistant seed, and projects based on benefit-sharing schemes; promoting a balance between conservation and utilisation of wetlands; promoting climate-smart agriculture practices and agricultural extension services, developing schemes to insure farmers against crop failure; increasing sustainable management of grazing fields, and sustainable use of agricultural products; ensuring food security as a factor of resilience; encouraging mitigation actions in energy generation and utilisation; improving management of waste and sustainable disposal of waste. This Part also concerns adaptation measures in: disaster management, ecosystem conservation, responsible tourism and wildlife protection, sustainable fishing and aquaculture practices, sustainable water resources management and water catchment areas.
Further Part of the Act concerns: public participation and access to information; increasing capacity building for effective public participation; measurement of emissions and removal of greenhouse gases; monitoring procedures; approval for small-scale projects; evaluation and compliance measures; financial provisions and establishment of the fund; offences and penalties; dispute resolution mechanism.