The Environment Court recently extended the logging ban after a challenge by the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) against President William Ruto’s decision to lift the ban imposed by the previous administration in 2018.
LSK filed a suit in July 2023 to contest the decision, prompting the court to impose a temporary freeze. The court’s ruling cited a lack of proactive information disclosure and public involvement in the decision to lift the suspension.
President Ruto had argued that the ban had negatively impacted Kenya’s economy, particularly in areas where logging was a significant source of livelihood. He emphasized the intention to open up the forests for timber harvesting to create jobs and stimulate businesses, while reassuring that the move would not harm the country’s water catchment areas. His administration pledged to plant 15 billion trees over the next decade.
Despite the government’s claim of having 26,000 hectares of mature and over-mature forest plantations, the court only allowed the felling of trees on 5,000 acres. LSK contended that there was a lack of scientific justification or research supporting the decision to lift the ban. They also pointed out the absence of a specific environmental impact assessment and public participation leading to the ban’s removal.
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The previous administration had initially introduced the ban as part of efforts to align with climate change goals. During the ban’s duration, Kenya witnessed a steady increase in forest cover, rising from 5.9% in 2018 to 8.83% in 2022.
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Environment Cabinet Secretary, Soipan Tuya, had earlier on clarified that the lifting of the ban applied solely to commercial forests, exempting indigenous plantations and private commercial forests. The ban aimed to enhance Kenya’s tree cover and environmental conditions, particularly with regard to water supply. Critics expressed concerns that lifting the ban could lead to increased deforestation.
