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WWF-UK and the British Red Cross are joining forces to implement nature-based solutions in Kenya’s Lamu County. The region faces severe threats from coastal flooding, erosion, and drought-induced freshwater shortages. These challenges significantly impact the county, where 60% of the population relies on agriculture, leaving many vulnerable to extreme weather.
One key initiative involves restoring the Southern Swamp mangrove forest, which offers multiple benefits. By slowing water flow and reducing the force of waves and winds, the mangroves act as a natural buffer against coastal flooding, storms, and erosion.
Additionally, mangrove ecosystems provide vital habitats and are highly efficient carbon sinks. Thanks to their extensive root systems, according to NOAA, mangroves can store up to ten times more carbon per unit area than terrestrial trees.
The partnership will also address the preservation of Lake Kenyatta. Community groups in the surrounding area will receive trees for planting, which will help reduce soil erosion and nutrient leaching, protecting the lake and nearby agricultural lands.
The British Red Cross’s CEO, Beatrice Butsana-Sita, said: “We know that climate change is having devastating effects on communities around the world. It’s making extreme weather events more common, more dangerous and longer-lasting, and posing ever-increasing threats to people’s lives, homes and livelihoods.
“But we also know that working with nature can be one of the most effective ways to help communities build resilience in the face of unprecedented challenges.
“By combining the Red Cross’ longstanding experience supporting people to prepare for and respond to climate-related emergencies with WWF-UK’s expertise in protecting our environment, we will be able to make a real difference to people facing some of the greatest risks as a result of climate change.”
This collaboration is backed by £1 million in funding from the People’s Postcode Lottery’s Postcode Planet Trust, which supports global wildlife and conservation projects. The effort in Lamu County is part of a broader initiative led by the Postcode Lottery Group, WWF, and Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies. Similar nature-based projects are underway in Ethiopia, Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Philippines, focusing on mitigating the interconnected crises of climate change and biodiversity loss.
Through these targeted interventions, the partnership aims to build climate resilience, protect vital ecosystems, and ensure sustainable livelihoods for local communities.
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