The Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Aden Duale, has officially launched the Strategic Guiding Framework for Greening Kenya’s Justice System. Speaking at the launch, Duale emphasized the importance of this initiative in the country’s broader pursuit of sustainable development and environmental stewardship.
“It is a great honor and privilege to join you today for the launch of the Strategic Guiding Framework for Greening Kenya’s Justice System,” Duale stated, highlighting the significance of the event as a milestone in Kenya’s national journey towards sustainability.
Duale commended the entire justice sector, led by the National Council on the Administration of Justice, for their efforts in developing the framework. He noted that the initiative demonstrates a collective commitment to securing a greener and sustainable future, underscoring that, “We are in this together!”
The Cabinet Secretary stressed the urgency of this initiative, particularly in the context of the ongoing environmental challenges facing the planet. “The call to green our justice system cannot come at a better time,” he said, pointing to the “Earth’s Triple Crises of Climate Change, Biodiversity Loss, and Pollution.” Citing the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report on “Making Peace with Nature,” Duale noted that human activities have drastically altered significant portions of the planet’s land surface, wetlands, and oceans.
Duale explained that the newly launched framework responds to global calls for ecological stewardship and aligns with Kenya’s commitments to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Agenda 2063, Vision 2030, and the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda. The framework elaborates a roadmap for mainstreaming and implementing green economy and climate change interventions across the justice system.
The framework is built on the constitutional elevation of environmental justice in Kenya, which advocates for the respect and protection of the environment as a heritage to be sustained for future generations. Duale praised ongoing greening initiatives within Kenya’s justice system, such as the Judiciary’s Social Transformation through Access to Justice (STAJ) Blueprint. This initiative emphasizes the importance of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and has led to the operationalization of specialized environmental courts and the National Environment Tribunal, contributing to the growth of environmental jurisprudence in the country.
The Kenya Prisons Service (KPS) has also been at the forefront of environmental initiatives, turning prisons and neighboring communities into green ecosystems. These efforts include tree planting, water recycling, waste management, and training inmates and staff on environmental protection. Notably, the KPS has committed to providing 2.1 million tree seedlings for planting and has planted 12.5 million seedlings across 43 prisons in support of President William Ruto’s tree planting program.
Duale acknowledged that the justice sector encompasses a wide range of institutions, all of which play a crucial role in promoting a greener and more sustainable system. The Strategic Guiding Framework includes various greening elements tailored to each institution, covering functional, physical, legislative, policy, and community engagement aspects.
The Ministry of Environment, under Duale’s leadership, is committed to supporting the justice sector in enhancing green deterrence, compliance, investigations, prosecution, and correction processes. The Ministry also aims to strengthen the sector’s capacity to make informed and strategic decisions on environmental protection and conservation.
Duale reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to training and sensitizing justice actors on effective environmental protection, enhancing enforcement of court orders, supporting research and reporting on environmental sustainability, and developing guidelines for compliance with environmental regulations. Furthermore, the Ministry will collaborate with the justice sector to monitor and report on climate change mitigation and adaptation actions in line with Kenya’s international commitments.
As he concluded his remarks, Duale urged all stakeholders to embrace the Strategic Guiding Framework and prioritize its implementation, stating, “We must all own and breathe life into the framework to ensure it is not just a document but a commitment.”
He commended the National Council on the Administration of Justice and all stakeholders involved in the framework’s development, recognizing their efforts in paving the way for a more sustainable and just future for Kenya. “Let us continue to work together, guided by the principles of justice, sustainability, and collaboration,” Duale urged, emphasizing the importance of building a justice system that not only upholds the rule of law but also protects the environment for the benefit of all Kenyans.
The successful implementation of this framework, Duale concluded, is crucial in shaping “The Kenya We Want” and “The World We Want.”
