- William Ruto won Kenya’s 2022 presidential election on a campaign that included a pledge to plant 15 billion trees by 2032. As the country approaches another election cycle, observers and environmental experts are questioning how much progress has been made.
- Around 1.5 billion trees have been planted so far, Deborah Barasa, the environment minister, said in an interview with Mongabay. Despite concerns over planning, monitoring and funding, she said Kenya can still meet the 15 billion target.
- She added that community ownership, long-term care and tree survival matter more than the number of seedlings planted, noting that the tree plantation campaign is “about instilling a culture of protecting and caring for the environment.”
- Barasa spoke to Mongabay on the sidelines of an event celebrating the legacy of Wangari Maathai, a Kenyan environmentalist and winner of the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize. Maathai built a landmark women-centric movement to plant trees and combat deforestation and desertification.
In 2022, when William Ruto was elected president of Kenya, he pledged that his government would plant 15 billion trees by 2032. Many observers saw it as a bold and ambitious promise — one that would require coordinated planning, reliable monitoring, sustained financing, and long-term stewardship on a massive scale.
According to estimates from the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry, about 1.5 billion trees have been planted so far. In a recent interview with Mongabay’s David Akana in Nairobi, Kenya’s environment minister, Deborah Barasa, said the country can still meet the 15 billion target. But recent media reporting on the tree-planting campaign has highlighted significant hurdles, including funding gaps, labor and seedling shortages, persistent drought conditions, and other challenges.
Some conservation scientists point out that planting trees is not a cure-all and that without stronger monitoring systems and clearer accountability, the initiative risks becoming more about counting seedlings than restoring ecosystems.
Barasa acknowledged the scale of the task, but argued that strong political backing at the highest levels of government, combined with genuine community ownership, can turn the pledge into lasting gains.
Barasa made these remarks during a commemoration ceremony to honor the legacy of Wangari Maathai, the Kenyan environmentalist whose work with communities helped reshape environmental stewardship in the country and earned her a Nobel Peace Prize. On Dec. 10, 2025, government officials joined representatives of the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Resources Institute Africa to celebrate Maathai’s legacy.
In recent decades, a move toward renewable energy has also been central to Kenya’s environmental agenda. The country stands out among African nations for the pace of its renewable rollout. Renewables now account for about 90% of the country’s electricity mix, according to the International Energy Agency. Barasa said she believes Kenya can still reach 100% renewable electricity by 2030, and stressed the importance of ensuring the transition is equitable and delivers tangible benefits for Kenyans.
The following interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Mongabay: It has been 20 years since Wangari Maathai received the Nobel Peace Prize. Why was it important for the Kenyan government to be represented at that commemoration?
Deborah Barasa: Because she is inspiring. She is a legend. It is important that we follow up and ensure that what she rallied Kenyans around continues today.
Right now, the president is talking about planting 15 billion trees. But what does that really mean? I cannot plant 15 billion trees alone. You cannot plant them alone.
What we need is community ownership. We need communities to go out there to support and plant the trees. And this is not just about planting trees. It is about instilling a culture of protecting and caring for the environment.
That is exactly what Honorable Wangari Maathai stood for. So, this work is very aligned with what she believed in. We are excited. We are proud that she won the Nobel Peace Prize. And we are asking ourselves how we can use that legacy and that voice to build the same culture and protect our environment.
Mongabay: What would you say are President Ruto’s top environmental priorities?
Deborah Barasa: First is the 15 billion trees. Second is the circular economy. We have moved from banning single-use plastic bags to banning plastics in protected areas, and now we have extended producer responsibility.
Mongabay: How many trees have been planted so far?
Deborah Barasa: We have already planted about 1.5 billion trees, but now the focus is on propagating more seedlings and ensuring communities are fully involved in planting and nurturing them. Other priorities include asbestos removal, climate change awareness, and large-scale ecosystem restoration. Next year, Kenya will host several major international conferences, including on REDD+, forest climate leadership, desertification under UNCCD, and oceans. All this reflects the president’s passion for protecting the environment for future generations.
Mongabay: Allow me to return to the 15-billion-tree target. It is very ambitious. How is it being funded, and are you confident it can be achieved?
Deborah Barasa: Funding comes from multiple sources: Treasury, the private sector, communities, and development partners. This is a rallying call for all Kenyans. During Mazingira Day [a public holiday on Oct. 10 dedicated to environmental stewardship and public action to protect and restore nature], we encouraged people to plant fruit trees in primary schools. A single fruit tree can feed many children, so we address food security while restoring ecosystems.
We are also focusing on wetlands, arid and semiarid areas, and forest regions. The idea is to match tree planting with different ecological zones. At the same time, this supports the president’s bottom-up economic transformation agenda: creating jobs through agroforestry, REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation), and commercial forestry, especially for young people.
Mongabay: Kenya’s plastic bag ban is often cited globally. Is it actually working?
Deborah Barasa: It is working. If you had visited years ago, you would have seen much more pollution. Now the environment is cleaner and healthier. But we must strengthen enforcement and compliance. Because of porous borders, plastics can still enter the country. That is why Kenya is becoming a strong voice regionally and globally on plastics. These are interconnected challenges, and they require global solutions.
Mongabay: In many countries, environment ministries struggle to secure public funding. How easy has it been for you to get support from the Treasury?
Deborah Barasa: Political will is everything. When you have support from the highest office, things move more smoothly. For many years, forestry was neglected. But now we have a president who understands its role in the economy and job creation. He advocates for resources, and that has made a big difference. Nationally, we are mobilizing resources. But globally, climate finance remains a challenge. Countries in the Global South have limited fiscal space and many competing priorities. Because environment is a global issue, we need support — especially from major [carbon] emitters — to restore ecosystems and protect biodiversity.
Mongabay: How do you ensure the clean energy transition is fair and benefits ordinary Kenyans?
Deborah Barasa: We are using data and digital platforms to guide decisions. We monitor coverage, identify gaps, and direct support where it is needed. Renewables already account for over 90% of our electricity. The goal is to reach 100% by 2030, but in a way that is inclusive and equitable.
Banner image: Members of the self-help group Tulinde Mikoko, Swahili for Let’s Protect Mangroves, plant mangrove trees in Mombasa County, Kenya. Image by AP Photo/Gideon Maundu.
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