Page 6 - AfrElec Week 06 2021
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AfrElec                                       RENEWABLES                                              AfrElec


       Kenya to invest $34mn in




       combating climate change




        KENYA            KENYA has launched a $34mn project aimed  according to a 2018 Kenya National Bureau of
                         at cushioning the effects of drought caused by  Statistics study. The study also showed droughts
                         climate change, targeting communities living in  cost Kenya 8% of GDP every five years.
                         arid regions of the country.           In a bid to combat climate change, provide
                           Finance and environment ministry officials  universal access to power and to drive economic
                         said the five-year Green Climate Fund project  growth, in 2011 Kenya embarked on an ambi-
                         would go towards helping 620,000 people in 11  tious path of renewable energy development
                         regional counties in arid and semi-arid areas  with the adoption of the Low-Cost Electricity
                         and would aim to restore over 500,000 hectares  Development Plan for 2011-2031.
                         of rangelands, Reuters reported.       This plan has been updated annually to
                           Keriako Tobiko, Minister for Environment  increase power generation capacity from 1,227
                         and Forestry, said these areas account for 80% of  MW in 2010 to 3,751 MW in 2018.
                         the East African country’s land mass, and were   In order to electrify the country and meet
                         more susceptible to the effects of climate change.  growing demand, significant renewable energy
                           “These areas and communities living in these  generation capacity must be added to Kenya’s
                         areas are most vulnerable; pastoral communi-  national grid.
                         ties, nomadic communities, and really this pro-  The country’s Medium-Term Plan 2008-2012
                         gramme helps to address the most deserving of  and its successors, PMT-II (2013-2018) and
                         cases,” Tobiko told an online briefing at the pro-  PMT-III (2018-2022), all part of the so-called
                         ject’s launch.                       Vision 2030 development plan, aim to increase
                           Kenya loses 2.0–2.4% of its gross domes-  the country’s generation capacity to 5,521 MW
                         tic product (GDP) annually due to the effects  by the end of 2022.™
                         of climate change, such as drought and floods,



















































       P6                                       www. NEWSBASE .com                       Week 06   11•February•2021
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