The demand for durable carbon removal is rising worldwide to levels unimaginable a few years ago, placing Kenya at a crucial crossroads. Technology companies across the globe are eager for credible, long-term solutions to offset the rising emissions associated with their rapidly expanding artificial intelligence (AI) operations. 

This rush for dependable carbon removal has driven prices higher and revealed a simple truth. The world is not producing enough of the most trusted forms of carbon removal. For Kenya, this is not a threat but a rare opportunity to emerge as a serious supplier in a market growing faster than almost any other part of the climate economy.

To seize this moment, Kenya must rethink its approaches to climate investment, land restoration, technology, and regulation. The country already possesses many of the ingredients needed to lead. However, what has been missing is scale, predictability, and a clear national strategy that aligns public support with private sector innovation. And the global market is sending an unmistakable signal: durable carbon removal is now valuable. It is also scarce. Countries that can offer stability, quick deployment, and transparent rules will emerge as winners.

The first significant move Kenya can make is to go beyond a narrow focus on avoided emissions and instead invest heavily in actual removal. Most global buyers now seek solutions that remove carbon from the atmosphere and store it for extended periods. Many of the most trusted credits come from methods such as biochar(stable, carbon-rich material made by heating organic biomass in a low oxygen environment), direct air capture, or deep land restoration that lock carbon into soil for long durations. Kenya has strong potential in all these areas. For example, the large amounts of agricultural waste that currently go unused can be utilised as feedstock for biochar, which is now one of the most popular forms of carbon removal. The challenge, however, lies in organisation and investment. Producers must be trained, facilities must be built, and measurement standards must be strict and transparent.

Big technology firms are using long-term commitments to give developers confidence to build new facilities. Kenya could also adopt long-term purchase agreements, which are becoming one of the most effective ways to unlock new supply with global buyers. The country can position itself as a reliable partner by encouraging local companies and county governments to establish structured partnerships with global technology firms, climate finance institutions, and specialised carbon removal buyers. These agreements would ensure a market for Kenyan producers while reassuring investors that their projects will generate revenue once operational.

Third, Kenya can develop a specialised regulatory framework that emphasises quality, clarity, and speed. Investors will only be attracted if they trust that the rules will remain stable over time. The government could establish a dedicated authority for carbon removal that collaborates closely with science-based registries and sets standards aligned with the most reputable global benchmarks. This authority should keep the process simple, digital, and predictable. It must verify quality, ensure fair benefit-sharing with communities, and prevent land misuse. When regulations are strong and transparent, supply increases and buyers gain confidence in the system.

To seize the opportunity, the country could also support research and development of advanced carbon removal methods. Biochar may be the most immediate opportunity, but other technologies will soon become important as well. Direct air capture will eventually expand beyond the wealthy nations where it is currently concentrated. Kenya, with its renewable energy potential and young, skilled workforce, can position itself as a regional hub for new carbon-removal engineering. Universities and private firms can collaborate to test new methods suited to East African conditions. The government can create incentives for pilot plants in geothermal areas, which offer natural advantages for processes that require heat or reliable, clean energy.

Integrating community-based land restoration into the emerging carbon removal market would be a major step in the right direction. Kenya has millions of acres of degraded land that can be revived to store substantial amounts of carbon. When restoration programmes are designed to benefit local communities, they improve resilience, strengthen food security, and create long-term employment. Global buyers value projects that demonstrate genuine social impact alongside climate performance. Kenya can design a national restoration programme that links community groups, county governments, and private investors into long-term projects that meet this rising demand.

Finally, the government can encourage local companies to generate their own credits; firms in agriculture, energy, and real estate can invest in their own biochar facilities or land restoration projects to secure a reliable supply for their customers. This bolsters the domestic carbon economy and shields Kenyan firms from potential shortages.

The world is facing a crisis. Demand is growing faster than supply can meet. If Kenya takes a bold step, invests in removal rather than avoidance, and develops a trusted system that attracts global buyers, it could become one of the leading carbon removal suppliers in the coming decade. The opportunity is genuine. It simply requires strong leadership and urgency.