Abstract
Climate change and health have attracted global attention in policy, research and advocacy. Kenya, like other countries, acknowledges that climate change and health are interconnected, and that climate change negatively affects health outcomes. The level of integration of the two sectors is, however, not known at the policy, research and advocacy levels. To this end we carried out this research to assess climate and health policy integration landscape in the country. It aimed to illuminate the potential for health considerations into the national legislative frameworks and the potential for health considerations to drive climate actions and vice versa. The study examined national level policies, programs and research on climate change and health, but also focused on the perspectives of key informant interviews from policy makers in the climate change and health sector, research scientists in both sectors, climate and health practitioners, legal experts, academia and members of civil society. The findings show that Kenya's policies have not adequately addressed the integration of these two critical issues. However, it points to emerging evidence of joined up policy making with either policies addressing climate change addressing health aspects or policies within the policies within the health sector considering climate change. This research also points out the insights into the complexity of integrating climate and health within the policy spaces at the national level. The study documents the barriers, opportunities, strategies to advance the climate change and health policy and ideal areas of integration. This information as discussed by participants offers important ideas and implications for climate policy, health policy, policy advocacy strategies and future research
