Kenya has launched a new $5.2 million initiative aimed at transforming urban development in Nairobi, as the government works with United Nations partners to address rising environmental, infrastructure and climate pressures in one of Africa’s fastest-growing cities.
The five-year project is being implemented in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and UN-Habitat. It is funded through a $5.2 million grant from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and is designed to promote low-carbon, climate-resilient and nature-positive urban development.
Officials say the initiative is expected to mobilise up to $40 million in additional public investment, alongside approximately $2 million in technical and in-kind support from development partners.
The programme will focus on integrated neighbourhood planning that combines emissions reduction, ecosystem restoration and improved urban service delivery. Pilot interventions are set to be rolled out in Kamukunji, a central Nairobi area where an estimated 85,000 residents are expected to benefit.
Speaking at the launch during a global GEF forum in Nairobi, UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen said cities are responsible for nearly 70 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, but they also present major opportunities for climate action. She noted that Nairobi’s rapid growth creates both an opportunity and an urgent need to adopt cleaner, 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 placed increasing pressure on housing, infrastructure and natural resources, contributing to pollution, environmental degradation and greater vulnerability to climate-related risks such as flooding and heatwaves.
The new project is intended to respond to these challenges through targeted investments and policy reforms, while also testing financing models that could be replicated in other cities across the region.
Claude Gascon, a senior official at the GEF, said the programme is designed to unlock broader investment flows by combining catalytic financing with integrated planning approaches.
UN-Habitat Executive Director Anacláudia Rossbach underscored the growing global importance of cities, noting projections that two-thirds of the world’s population will live in urban areas by 2050. She said initiatives such as the Nairobi project could demonstrate how cities can play a central role in advancing 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 plan to develop digital planning tools and policy frameworks to support wider replication of the model.
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.
By positioning Nairobi as a pilot for low-carbon urban transformation, Kenyan authorities and their partners hope the initiative will serve as a practical model for sustainable and climate-resilient city planning across Africa.
