ilegkenya.org

Climate Change, Water & Energy

Our Programs

Building Sustainably Thriving and Climate Resilient Communities

ILEG works with governmental agencies, private sector, research institutions, local communities and national and international non-governmental organizations to scale up capacities and raise ambition for climate action for the benefit of all

Our Motivation

Climate change, water and energy are inextricably connected; action in one area has impact on the others. Climate change is a major driver of increasing temperatures, loss of snow pack and changing precipitation. Related extreme events such as droughts, storms and floods significantly degrade water catchments and reduce water availability and quality, ultimately impacting life cycles of water and energy.

The Paris Agreement, reached at COP21 in 2015, commits governments to take urgent action to combat climate change. It reinforces a collective goal of not only holding global warming to1.5 degrees by 2050, but also enhancing adaptive capacity and strengthening resilience to climate-related hazards and natural disasters. Reducing climate impact and slowing further warming requires collaborative actions and all-hands approach, working across sectors and governing levels.

Our Approach

Our research on climate change, energy systems and water management informs effective policy making and practice. We support national and county governments to formulate and implement robust policies and favorable, transparent and stable regulatory frameworks on climate change, water management and green growth. We empower local communities and NGOs to participate in energy, water and climate change governance. We offer training and technical support to public, private, non-governmental, sub-national and regional entities and international organizations that seek accreditation to the GCF and other climate funds.We work with governmental agencies, research institutions, research institutions, NGOs and local communities to promote climate innovation and investmentin order to reduce vulnerability and strengthen resilience to climate hazards and natural disasters while slowing further warming.

Programme elements

Climate Change, Water and Energy Programme at ILEG focuses on five main areas: accelerating climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts, strengthening capacities to mobilize climate finance, advancing transition to clean and efficient energytechnologies, enhancing governance for green growth, and building resilience through effective water management.

Water Management

ILEG builds climate resilience and slows further warming through effective water management

Climate change manifests largely through its impact on water resources. It reduces the predictability of water availability and affects water quality. Climate change also increases the occurrence of extreme weather events, which degrade water catchments and inflict damage to water infrastructure. Conversely, the way water is managed influences the drivers of climate change. The Paris Agreement, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk all highlight the importance of improved water management. Many NDCs prioritizes water-based adaptation measures.

To build climate resilience and slow further warming through effective water management, we promote the uptake innovative water management technologies through appropriate policies; enhance capacities to plan, implement and monitor water-related activities in climate change strategies and plans; support stakeholders’ forum on effective water governance; and train and support local communities to conserve and protect water catchments, with emphasis on Nature-based Solutions (NbS).

Climate change mitigation & adaptation

ILEG works with governmental agencies, private sector, research institutions, local communities and national and international non-governmental organizations to accelerate climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts.

Managing climate change contemplates a ‘triple win” strategy that results simultaneously in climate change mitigation, adaptation, and sustainable development. This implies that development goals and strategies must integrate the opportunities and threats of a changing climate in order to safeguard development from climate impacts while slowing further warming.

To enhance adaptive capacity and strengthen resilience to climate-related hazards and natural disasters, we support local communities and NGOs to participate effectively in energy, water and climate change governance; build capacities of local communities through training and technical support to implement climate-smart sustainable initiatives; and partner with governmental agencies, research organizations, private sector and local communities to scale up locally-led climate action.

Climate finance

ILEG offers training and technical support to public, private, non-governmental, sub-national and regional entities and international organisations that seek accreditation to the GCF and other climate funds.

Kenya’s NDC submitted to UNFCCC embraces a dual-track policy approach aimed of addressing climate change through both adaptation and mitigation measures. The current estimated cost of implementing Kenya’s mitigation and adaptation actions stands at Ksh 6,775 billion (USD 65 billion) in 2020-2030.^[1] Achieving this objective requires both public and private sector to scale-up and mainstream climate-related investments. However, the capacity to tap into the mitigation and adaptation resources remains limited partly due to weak institutional and technical capacity.

To enhance capacities to mobilize climate finance, we train representatives of the national and county governments, private sector, NGOs, and local community groups on procedures for the GCF and proposal development; support national and county governments and private sector to develop and implement policies, regulations and guidelines on climate finance; provide technical support to entities that seek accreditation to the GCF and other climate funds; and conduct climate finance readiness training to raise awareness and capacity-building of the GCF accredited entities.

[1] Republic of Kenya, The National Treasury and Planning (2021). The Landscape of Climate Finance in Kenya: On the road to implementing Kenya’s NDC.p.7

Green economy

ILEG raises ambition for climate action while pursuing the path of green growth by promoting policies and practices to ensure sustainable, equitable and inclusive economic development.

Kenya’s economic growth is largely realized at the expense of a profound environmental and social impact. Thus, there is a need to shift focus on pursuing the path of green growth by adopting policies and practices to ensure that economic development is attained in an environmentally friendly manner while supporting job creation, human well-being and competitiveness.

However, the pace of green transition is painstakingly slow in Kenya partly due to inadequate market-based policy instruments that reward the private sector to adopt green practices. Additionally, the planning and implementing capacities and know-how at the subnational level are insufficient to enable the green transition. Properly functioning vertical policy coordination mechanisms between the national and county levels often do not exist yet, but represent a prerequisite for an integrated green framework that will support resource efficiency, circularity and reduced climate and environmental footprints.

To raise ambition for climate action while building economies that are cleaner, more equitable and competitive, We undertake research on governance for green transition; organise multi-stakeholder policy dialogues to raise ambitions for green transition and recommend policy initiatives; strengthen capacities through training to support knowledge transfer, and facilitate and steer policy and action on the green framework; and develop a framework to guide the integration of green transition principles within existing private and public sector policies, legislation’s, regulations and guidelines.

Clean and efficient energy

ILEG advances the transition to clean and efficient energy technologies to ensure the race towards zero emissions becomes a reality.

Paris Agreement committed governments to collectively pursue efforts to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2050 in order to avoid a series of catastrophic impact. Holding global warming to 1.5 degrees requires transition in energy systems that will expand access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy services.

Kenya’s NDC features renewable energy resources. In spite of additional investment in renewable energy mix, the pace of transition to cleaner, affordable, reliable and sustainable energy systems is not sufficient to achieve the targets embedded in the NDC, SDG goals (SDG 7 on affordable and clean energy, and SDG 13 on climate action) and the Paris Agreement. Accelerating the transition to resilient futures and low carbon energy requires significant shifts not only in technology, but in policy reforms and the behaviour of end-users

To advance transition to clean and efficient energy technologies, we undertake research on energy systems in order to inform decision-making; enhance capacities to formulate energy policies, legislation’s, regulations and guidelines; promote the uptake of clean and affordable energy technologies; and develop county-level renewable energy platform for learning, knowledge transfer and resource mobilization.