Kenya secures $5.2 million UN-backed climate project to pilot low-carbon urban model
A new $5.2 million initiative aimed at reshaping urban development in Nairobi has been launched by the Government of Kenya in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme and UN-Habitat, as authorities seek to address rising environmental and infrastructure pressures in one of Africa’s fastest-growing cities.
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Kenya, in partnership with UN agencies, has launched a $5.2 million initiative to promote sustainable urban development in Nairobi.
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The project will pilot green, low-carbon neighbourhoods in Kamukunji, targeting emissions reduction and improved living standards.
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Backed by potential $40 million in future investment, it aims to unlock scalable financing models for African cities.
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Officials say the initiative could serve as a blueprint for climate-resilient urban planning across the region.
The five-year project, funded through a $5.2 million grant from the Global Environment Facility, is designed to promote low-carbon, climate-resilient, and nature-positive urban development. It is expected to attract up to $40 million in additional public investment, alongside roughly $2 million in technical and in-kind support from partners.
Officials say the programme will focus on integrated neighbourhood planning, combining emissions reduction, ecosystem restoration and improved urban services. Pilot interventions will take place in Kamukunji, a central Nairobi area with an estimated 85,000 residents expected to benefit.
Speaking at the launch during a global GEF forum in Nairobi, UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen said cities account for nearly 70 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, but also present opportunities for climate solutions. She noted that Nairobi’s expansion creates both “an opportunity and an imperative” to adopt cleaner and more resilient development pathways.
The initiative will be implemented by UNEP and executed by UN-Habitat, in collaboration with local and national institutions, including Nairobi City County and Kenya’s housing and environment ministries.
Rapid urbanisation in Nairobi has intensified pressure on housing, infrastructure and natural resources, contributing to pollution, ecosystem degradation and increased exposure to climate risks such as flooding and heatwaves.
An aerial view of the modern Nairobi cityscape, capital city of Kenya in East Africa. [Photo by Boniface Muthoni/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images]
The new project aims to address these challenges through targeted investments and policy reforms, while also testing financing models that could be scaled to other cities.
Claude Gascon, a senior official at the GEF, said the programme is intended to unlock broader investment flows by combining “catalytic financing with integrated planning approaches”.
UN-Habitat Executive Director Anacláudia Rossbach highlighted the growing global significance of cities, noting projections that two-thirds of the world’s population will live in urban areas by 2050. She said projects like Nairobi’s could demonstrate how urban centres contribute to climate and sustainability goals.
Kenya’s Housing Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome said the government is prioritising planning reforms and investment strategies aimed at building more inclusive and climate-resilient cities, particularly for low-income communities.
Planned interventions in Kamukunji include climate-resilient infrastructure, the adoption of renewable energy, improved waste management systems, and the restoration of sections of the Nairobi River. Authorities also intend to develop digital planning tools and policy frameworks to support wider replication.
The project forms part of a broader global programme supporting more than 50 cities in over 20 countries to integrate climate action, biodiversity protection, and urban development planning.
