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Prioritizing the support of pastoralists in Kenya through a bottom-up approach, this study focuses on identifying strategies to enhance their livelihoods, with subsequent evaluation of the impact on greenhouse gas emissions. Using the Greenhouse Gas and Air Pollution Interactions and Synergies (GAINS) model and Tier 2 emissions factors, we develop a region-specific emissions inventory and evaluate how supporting pastoralist livelihoods intersect with emissions mitigation. Pastoralism, vital for local economies and ecosystems, has often been misrepresented in climate policy due to the application of industrial-focused emission reduction strategies that do not fit these extensive systems. Our research identifies effective interventions, both institutional and technical, to support pastoralist livelihoods while addressing climate change. Institutional strategies include enhancing public health and education, improving early warning systems, leveraging social capital, and promoting mobility, each of which contributes to resilience and adaptation but requires further exploration of their emissions impacts. Technical measures, such as fodder harvest and storage and disease prevention through vaccination, are shown to reduce enteric fermentation emissions by 22% within pastoral systems. The study emphasizes the need for tailored climate policies that incorporate traditional practices and support pastoral systems effectively, advocating for a holistic approach to emissions reduction that respects and enhances local kno wledge and practices.