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Abstract:
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The purpose of this study was to establish the barriers to effective reporting of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) in Kenya, with the primary focus being environmental reporting using the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) as a reference point. The objectives were to establish systems NEMA uses to report environmental issues, assess NEMA’s technical capacity for effective reporting of environmental statistics, determine challenges when reporting environmental statistics, and propose recommendations to enhance effective reporting of environmental statistics by NEMA. The study was anchored on accountability and sustainability theories. Descriptive design was adopted, and the study population was drawn from NEMA, State Department of Planning in Kenya, and the United Nations Environment Programme. Census sampling was used and 91 out of 98 respondents filled and returned self-administered questionnaires. Six key informants (KI) were interviewed by the principal researcher. Generated data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), version 25. There was a positive significant moderate linear relationship between effective reporting of SDGs and NEMA’s institutional capacity, r = 0.263; p = 0.012; M&E Framework, r = 0.327; p = 0.002; environmental governance, r = 0.353; p = 0.001; enabling environment, r = 0.352; p = 0.001. The study concluded that organizations need enhanced technology for data acquisition, clear M&E structures, and continuous institutional capacity building to address changing reporting environment and policy needs. One of the study’s recommendation is that there needs to be bridging of existing knowledge gaps in the sector through research and partnership, organizational and individual capacity building, establishment of innovation/science centers, data driven governance, policy coherence, and environmental advocacy |