Sixteen years after Kenya's progressive 2010 Constitution was enacted, environmentalists and communities are still engaged in extensive legal battles to protect forests and green spaces from development projects.

• The Constitution guarantees the right to a clean environment and mandates at least 10% tree cover, yet the country falls short of this goal.
• Numerous court cases are ongoing against government projects in protected areas like Nairobi National Park, Karura Forest, and Aberdares.
• Environmental advocates, such as those from the Green Belt Movement, argue that while the law provides strong tools, the culture of governance and implementation remain challenges, leading to a pattern of sacrificing protected ecosystems for development.