BELEM, Brazil, Nov 9 — Kenya has earned international recognition for its social housing programme for the urban poor and the Nairobi Rivers Regeneration Programme, both hailed as transformative models for climate resilience in urban areas across the Global South.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki said on Saturday that Kenya continues to collaborate closely with local and international partners to ensure the success of these flagship programmes, which lie at the heart of the government’s climate and social transformation agenda.
“The UN agencies have lauded Kenya’s social housing programme for the urban poor in Nairobi and the Nairobi Rivers Regeneration Programme as the two most consequential measures ever taken in the Global South to create climate resilience for the urban poor using domestically generated resources,” said Kindiki.
The Deputy President made the remarks while engaging representatives of various UN agencies — including the UN Climate Action Team, UN-Habitat, and the Secretariat of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) — on the sidelines of the COP 30 Conference in Belem, Brazil.
Prof. Kindiki welcomed the Building Climate Resilience with the Urban Poor (BCRUP) Programme, co-led by Kenya and Brazil, describing it as a landmark collaboration that consolidates global efforts to cushion vulnerable urban communities against the adverse impacts of climate change.
“The initiative seeks to shield the urban poor from climate shocks such as floods, drought, heatwaves, violent winds, and landslides — while addressing underlying vulnerabilities including poverty, inadequate infrastructure, and weak governance frameworks,” he explained.
During the high-level meeting, the Deputy President called for a stronger, more coherent role for UN agencies in supporting climate resilience and adaptation solutions targeting the urban poor. He emphasized the need for enhanced financing, technology transfer, and capacity building to sustain long-term resilience.
He further proposed the adoption of a United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution on climate resilience for the urban poor, alongside the integration of the BCRUP principles into COP 30 resolutions.
“Kenya is ready to take the lead in reporting progress on this initiative to the UN General Assembly periodically, as part of our commitment to inclusive and sustainable urban transformation,” Prof. Kindiki affirmed.
Prof. Kindiki is representing Kenya at the COP 30 Conference, where Kenya continues to champion climate action, urban regeneration, and social inclusion as integral pillars of sustainable development.
