PS Mugambi Presents Seven Draft Environmental Regulations for Parliamentary Scrutiny

The Principal Secretary for Forestry, Mr. Gitonga Mugambi, has led a multi-agency delegation before the National Assembly’s Committee on Delegated Legislation for pre-publication scrutiny of seven proposed environmental and forestry regulations.

The committee, chaired by Ainabkoi Member of Parliament Hon. Samuel Kiprono Chepkonga, examined the draft regulations developed under the Environmental Management and Coordination Act (EMCA), the Climate Change Act (Cap. 387A) and the Forest Conservation and Management Act (Cap. 385).

The proposed regulations cover carbon trading, the National Carbon Registry, wetlands conservation, environmental impact assessments, public forest concessions, charcoal production and trade, and participation in sustainable forest management. The scrutiny is intended to facilitate parliamentary consideration of the draft legal instruments before publication.

The proposed **Carbon Trading Regulations, 2026** seek to strengthen the regulation of carbon markets, establish carbon budgeting mechanisms and align carbon trading activities with Kenya’s climate commitments and emissions reduction targets.

Complementing this framework, the proposed **National Carbon Registry Regulations, 2026** provide for the tracking of carbon projects, credits and transactions to enhance transparency, accountability and integrity in carbon markets.

Under EMCA, the proposed Wetlands Regulations, 2025 seek to strengthen the protection, conservation and restoration of Kenya’s wetlands through management plans, pollution control and the regulation of activities that may degrade these vital ecosystems.

The proposed Strategic and Integrated Environmental Impact Assessments and Environmental Audits Regulations, 2025 establish procedures for assessing environmental and social impacts, facilitating public participation, licensing, conducting environmental audits and monitoring compliance.

Three proposed regulations under the Forest Conservation and Management Act address public forest concessions, charcoal production and trade, and participation in sustainable forest management. The draft instruments seek to provide a regulatory framework for the sustainable utilisation, management and conservation of forest resources, while guiding activities that affect public forests and supporting participatory approaches to forest management.

The pre-publication scrutiny forms part of the process of examining the proposed regulatory instruments before publication, with the aim of strengthening Kenya’s environmental governance, climate action and sustainable forest management frameworks.

The Principal Secretary was accompanied by the Forest Development Secretary, Mr. George Tarus; Dr. Nyatichi Omambia of the Designated National Authority at the National Environment Management Authority (DNA-NEMA); Head of Legal Unit, Ms. Linah Meeme; and officers from the Office of the Attorney-General, Kenya Forest Service (KFS), National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI).