Nairobi: County governments are uniquely positioned to create and implement localized climate action plans tailored to their regions' specific environmental and socio-economic conditions. This approach ensures that interventions are relevant and targeted, addressing localized climate issues such as deforestation, flooding, and droughts.
According to Kenya News Agency, Nakuru County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Water, Environment, Climate Change, Energy, and Natural Resources, Dr. Nelson Maara, emphasized the strategic advantage of devolved units in promoting public education and awareness campaigns. These campaigns encourage grassroots communities to adopt climate-resilient lifestyles and practices, including sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, recycling, and waste management.
Dr. Maara highlighted the necessity for counties to integrate climate resilience into infrastructure, development, urban planning, and disaster preparedness. Such integration can significantly reduce the vulnerability of inhabitants to climate-related risks and shocks. Speaking at the Kenya National Research Festival (KNRF) at Egerton University's Njoro Main Campus, he underscored the alignment of these measures with the County Climate Action Plans (CCAP) and the National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP) III-2023-2027.
Collaboration with the national government, research organizations, investors, development partners, and civil society is essential, Dr. Maara noted, to ensure that interventions are timely and effective. The focus is on meeting the needs of the most vulnerable groups, who often suffer the most from climate change impacts. Nakuru County is prioritizing renewable energy technologies, including geothermal, biogas systems, solar energy, and clean cooking solutions, particularly in rural and peri-urban areas, to mitigate climate change and reduce diseases caused by dirty fuels.
Statistics from the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry reveal that cooking contributes to 70 percent of Kenya's Greenhouse Gas emissions. Furthermore, over 93.2 percent of rural households in Kenya rely on wood fuel, while only 30 percent use Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), and a mere 3 percent of households own an electric cooking appliance.
Governor Susan Kihika's administration is promoting regenerative agriculture with clean energy solutions, integrating renewable technologies like solar, wind, and geothermal into farming practices. This approach aims to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, promote sustainable farming, and ensure food security for Kenya's rapidly growing population, expected to reach 96 million by 2050.
Dr. Maara noted that agriculture contributes 20 percent of Greenhouse Gas emissions, stressing the importance of adopting long-term, climate-sensitive farming practices. Utilizing renewable resources in various agricultural processes can lead to cost reductions, increased yields, and improved food security.
Research and innovation are central to these sustainable solutions, with Nakuru positioning itself as a leader in environmental conservation, renewable energy, and food security. The Kenya National Research Festival (KNRF), jointly hosted by the National Research Fund (NRF), Egerton University, and the Nakuru County Government, has gathered researchers, policymakers, industry leaders, and innovators to explore advancements in sustainable agriculture and food security.
The festival's theme, 'Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security: Empowering Communities through Research, Science, Technology and Innovation,' aims to highlight transformative solutions for enhancing food production, resilience, and sustainability.
Dr. Maara outlined Nakuru's partnerships with the private sector to promote investments in technologies that transform solid waste into energy and eco-friendly construction materials. The initiative seeks to convert daily waste into market-ready products, contributing to environmental restoration and job creation, particularly for Kenya's unemployed youth.
He stressed the importance of modern waste management, which not only reduces pollution but also conserves resources, improves public health, and supports economic growth by protecting aquatic ecosystems. Effective waste management can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent, contributing to climate change mitigation.
To address the climate crisis, counties must prioritize locally-led climate actions and establish legal frameworks to attract support from donors, the national government, and development partners. The Financing Locally-Led Climate Action (FLLoCA) program, supported by the World Bank and other donors, aims to build counties' capacity to manage and deliver climate resilience actions.
Egerton University Deputy Vice Chancellor Professor Richard Mulwa emphasized the need for water conservation, advocating for rainwater harvesting as practiced in China. He called for better methods to tap, store, and recycle rainwater, which is crucial amid Kenya's unpredictable weather patterns and prolonged droughts. Rainwater harvesting offers a cost-effective, sustainable alternative to piped water, easing the pressure on dwindling groundwater reserves.