CS Duale Pushes for Stronger Environmental Justice through Judicial Reforms

The Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forestry Aden Duale has urged the judicial institutions in Kenya to help the Ministry enforce environmental laws. Duale has noted that the country's environmental challenges are due to weak enforcement of existing laws.

Duale was speaking during the launch of the ‘Greening the Justice System: Framework, Theories, Elements and Practice Imperatives' Report, a study by the National Council on the Administration of Justice (NCAJ) in Nairobi on August 21, 2024.

“Together we can build a justice system that not only upholds the rule of law but also protects our environment for the benefit of all Kenyans," CS Duale said.

He also assured the Justice Department that the Ministry of Environment will continue collaborating with them to monitor the implementation of the sector’s mitigation and adaptation and coordinate reporting and verification of the corresponding emissions reductions and adaptation benefits towards the national targets in fulfilling Kenya's international commitments on Climate Change.

"The Ministry also commits to identify policy gaps that hinder the attaining of environmental and climate justice in an effort to bridge these gaps," CS Duale added.

The ‘Greening the Justice System: Framework, Theories, Elements and Practice Imperatives' Report aims to champion the integration of environmental sustainability in the country's justice system.

The framework requires justice actors to implement reforms and interventions to improve the administration and access to justice for vulnerable and marginalized people, particularly those disproportionately affected by climate change, such as children, women, survivors of gender-based violence, and young people.