President Uhuru Kenyatta has anonunced Kenya’s plans to transition to a green economy by 2030. The commitment comes as the country moves to affirm its position as the world’s environment capital.
Uhuru said Kenya’s strategy is to rapidly increase its share of renewable energy and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. “As a country, we have taken steps for a resilient planet. We are seeking to harness geothermal, wind, water and in future the sun to power Kenya,” he said yesterday when he officially opened the second United Nations Environment Assembly in Gigiri.
The UNEA is the world’s de facto environment parliamen.The first UNEA took place in June 2014 at the Unep headquarters in Nairobi. An economy is considered green enough if it promotes health, wealth, and well-being, and grows sustainably without sacrificing social justice, equity as well as the environment.
Uhuru said African countries would suffer most from the fast degrading environment. “Most countries in Africa depend on agriculture and they also have the most to gain from protecting the environment,” he said.
A Unep report released last year said under a green economy scenario – with an investment of two per cent of GDP – Kenya’s per capita national income would nearly double from $499 (Sh39,897 ) to $871 (Sh69,702 ). Under a business-as-usual investment scenario and a two per cent investment, the GDP would only increase to $664.30 (Sh53,146 ) over the same period of time.
Total ivory ban
In his speech, Uhuru said Kenya will seek a total ban on ivory trade at the upcoming CITES meeting in South Africa. That stand has been opposed by Tanzania and Zimbabwe, who still want to sell their ivory stockpiles. “We torched 105 tonnes of ivory and 103 tonnes of rhino horn in April to show that ivory is worthless unless it is on an elephant,” he said.
UN deputy secretary general Jan Eliasson said elevation of Unep to a global membership body has raised Nairobi’s profile in the UN structure. He urged more countries to sign the Paris Agreement that commits countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
“At last environment is being elevated to its rightful place in global policymaking,” he said. “There is a false notion that we must choose between environment protection and economic growth.”