Climate change is a common challenge of humankind, requiring actions by all countries. Japan highly appreciates Kenya’s commitment to combat climate change and President William Ruto’s leadership in rallying the international community towards more ambitious climate actions at COP27.
As the Horn of Africa suffers from the adverse effects of climate change, COP27 is taking place in Sharm-el-Sheikh to discuss implementation of the Paris Agreement. Japan will continue to work in full force to tackle climate change, mobilising its funding and technology to achieve its own “net-zero by 2050” as well as to support Kenya and other developing countries.
To meet the developed countries’ collective commitment on climate finance, Japan has so far pledged financial contribution both public and private totalling JPY 6.5 trillion in 2021-2025.
More recently in August this year, Prime Minister Kishida launched Japan’s “Green Growth Initiative with Africa” on the scale of $4 billion (Sh487 billion) at the eighth meeting of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development. This initiative, focused especially on Africa, will mobilise funding for projects relating to mitigation such as hydrogen and renewable energy, and those relating to adaptation.
At the bilateral level, Japan and Kenya have longstanding cooperation in several sectors relevant to climate change. Since the 1980s, Japan has continued supporting Kefri and the forestry sector. The Institute now plays a key role in developing improved varieties of trees particularly those varieties resistant to droughts, crucial for Kenya’s goal on tree planting.
Also from the 1980s, CAccording to the Economic Survey 2022, Kenya’s geothermal power accounts for over 40 per cent of its total electricity generation in 2021.
And while climate change seriously affects the productivity of agriculture, Japan’s support to irrigation and rice production is contributing significantly to the stable supply of water and increased rice production in Mwea and Ahero.
President Ruto recently commissioned Thiba Dam in Mwea, built with Japanese assistance. The dam expands the irrigated area by an additional 2,000 ha (4,942 acres) and increases the annual rice harvest from two harvests to three.
Looking to the future, climate actions have the potential for promoting job creation and economic growth. For this to happen, involving the private sector is crucial.
Kenya is the first country in Africa to benefit from the Joint Crediting Mechanism based on a bilateral agreement with Japan. In 2021, solar panels were installed at a salt factory in Kilifi county with funding from Japan, resulting in the first issuance of carbon credits shared between the two governments.
In another project funded by Japan through UNIDO, a Japanese company plans to instal solar panels on a rose farm in Kajiado county. If implemented, the rose farm will be able to avoid crop failures resulting from disruption in water circulation stemming from erratic supply of electricity. At the same time, the project will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and generate carbon credits.
Currently, there is much focus on 'Green Hydrogen' as an energy of the future. Since Kenya’s geothermal capacity could be used for producing Hydrogen, a Japanese company is conducting a study with funding from the Government of Japan on the production and industrial use of Green Hydrogen. If it is deemed feasible, Green Hydrogen could be used for purposes such as production of fertilisers, mobility and steel manufacturing in Kenya.
There is an enormous potential for mobilising Japanese funding, expertise and technology in Africa for climate actions. At Ticad 8, Nippon Export and Investment Insurance, wholly owned by the Japanese Government, signed an MoU with Africa Export-Import Bank and the African Trade Insurance Agency respectively to promote Japanese investment in Africa with a particular focus on climate change.
Kenya could tap financial support provided by Japan and various multilateral frameworks. Such efforts are expected to promote Japanese private sector involvement in climate actions.
As Prime Minister Kishida remarked at COP26, no one must be left behind as we confront climate change. Japan will dedicate all its strength to undertaking actions that contribute to the future of humankind.
