Floods in Kenya

The World Bank has in a new report, The Kenya Country Climate and Development Report, warned that  Kenya’s economy could face setbacks in the absence of climate action.

According to the Kenya Country Climate and Development Report, inaction against climate change could result in a decline of 3.61 percent to 7.25 percent in real gross domestic product (GDP) relative to the business-as-usual baseline scenario by the year 2050.

“Climate change affects economic growth mostly through the agriculture sector, which contributes about one-fifth of the value added to GDP,” said the report, which presents a set of priority action areas for Kenya to achieve its development and growth objectives in a climate-informed manner.

Inequalities

The World Bank further states that the absence of climate action could set back projected decreases in poverty and exacerbate potential increases in inequality.

“The lack of climate action will be more consequential in rural areas, and most significant in the arid and semi-arid counties.”

The global lender in the same breath lauded Kenya’s efforts in harnessing green energy, saying” Kenya stands out among African and lower-middle-income countries due to its well-diversified and low-carbon energy mix, with about 90 percent of electricity generation coming from renewable sources”.

The World Bank report on climate change in Kenya said that the country could meet its growth aspirations in an inclusive and climate-resilient manner by managing its water, land, and forests for climate-resilient agriculture and rural economies as well as by delivering people-centered resilience with climate-informed basic services and urbanization.