On the 27th July 2017, the Cabinet Secretary for Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources launched the Green Economy Strategy and Implementation Plan (GESIP) 2016 – 2030. GESIP is a blueprint for enhancing low-carbon, resource efficient, equitable and inclusive socio-economic transformation. Furthermore, it focuses on binding social economic constraints towards attaining Kenya Vision 2030 and is aligned with the outcomes of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20).
GESIP will aid Kenya’s transition to a sustainable path through five thematic areas and strategies, including: promoting sustainable infrastructure; building resilience; sustainable natural resource management; promoting resource efficiency and social inclusion and sustainable livelihoods. The strategies guide and are not limited to public sector, and GESIP stakeholders on programmes.
A number of strategies within objectives include: review Feed-in-Tariff (FiT) policy to include more off-grid generation and net-metering to enhance sustainable infrastructure; promote drought-tolerant food crops so as to build resilience; increase per-capita water availability to promote sustainable natural resource management; continually review national and county policies and legal frameworks to respond to new technology and innovation to enhance resource efficiency; establish schemes to support green business to achieve social inclusion and sustain livelihoods.
The implementation of GESIP will be guided by principles for sustainable development including: sustainable consumption and production; equity and social inclusion; resource efficiency, Pollution-Pays-Principle; precautionary principle and good governance. For these, Kenya will move to include eco-innovation within the strategies and ensure a fair and equitable allocation of benefits and cost as well as take human health and environment into consideration. It will also respond to the natural resources scarcities through complying to Environmental Management Coordination Act (1999) and Article 10(2) of the Constitution of Kenya.
Private sector has an important role in implementing this through adoption on green economy technologies and practices in a self – sustaining way. Currently, Kenya Climate Innovation Center (KCIC) is enhancing green growth awareness to catalyse adoption of climate change solutions. The Center also has a Sustainability Initiative, which supports policy dialogues for both public and private sector to promote sustainable growth. The Initiative also engages stakeholders in other private sector and individuals in climate change conversions to take action on climate change issues. The Center also has leveraged on outreach networks and opens up opportunities to generate economic, ecological and social benefits. KCIC strives for an inclusive green economic growth in Kenya.
By Elizabeth Kago Picture courtesy: MENR
