Background

The State Department for Environment was established vide Executive Order No. 1 of 2023 (Revised under Executive Order No. 1 of 2025) on the organization of Government of Kenya, which is under the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry. The Department plays a vital role in promoting the development of forests, including reforestation and agroforestry efforts and is responsible for conducting forestry research to ensure ecological balance within forest ecosystems.
The Ministry also provides policy guidance, capacity building, resource mobilization, coordination and oversight for the following statutory institutions: National Environment Management Authority (NEMA); National Climate Change Council (NCCC); National Environment Trust Fund (NETFUND); Kenya Water Towers Agency (KWTA); Kenya Forest Service (KFS); Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI); National Environmental Complaints Committee (NECC); Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD); Kenya Meteorological Training College and National Environment Tribunal (NET).