Elise Wolters - Military Legitimacy and Environmental Justice: The Case of the Kenyan Environmental Soldier Programme

Climate change has already had significant and devastating effects on Kenya's agricultural sector and food security. Periods of extreme drought are followed by extreme floods and rainfall is becoming more erratic, making food and other essential resources scarce. Exacerbating these problems are local conflicts and tensions, which are often related to the distribution of natural resources. In response, the Kenyan government has officially recognised climate change as a national security threat. Following this statement, the Kenyan military has expanded its involvement in climate mitigation and adaptation programmes, for example through a tree-planting programme and enhanced partnerships with civil society. It is the aim of this project to understand the role of the Kenya Defence Forces in Kenya's climate security from a political ecology perspective.