An Assessment of the Strategies for Energy Transition in Kenya as a Climate Change Mitigation Strategy

Climate change is a global issue affecting communities in different parts of the world. Climate change is associated with extreme weather and climate patterns that affect the general health of the environment and humanity. The causes of climate change are both natural and anthropogenic. The human induced climate change has accelerated the emission of greenhouse gases that in turn cause global warming and climate change. The international community have initiated various interventions to minimize emission of greenhouse gases in order to maintain a healthier environment for sustainable development. One such initiative and/or interventions is the energy transition strategy that involves transition from a purely fossil fuel based to renewable energy-based economy. This paper therefore looks at the energy transition in Kenya. Specifically, the paper covers energy demand and supply, Mt CO2 emission; energy transitions process; constraints and opportunities. Kenya is going through a transition period in the energy sector and at the same time the country is striving to industrialize by the year 2023 being guided by the Country’s 2010 Constitution and the Vision 2030 which aims at transforming the country into a middle level economy. It is important that as the country strives to industrialize, the energy that drives the economy should be clean to enhance cleaner energy production. The country is a signatory to the landmark agreement of COP21 held in Paris, France in 2015. The country committed to observe the requirements of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to ensure the reduction of emission of greenhouse gases and has put in place various institutional and legal frameworks towards this end. One of the most recent frameworks is the Climate Change Amendment Act, 2023. The main objective of the study is to assess the energy transition process and associated challenges. The study uses an exploratory design and employed descriptive statistics in data analysis. Data was presented in the form of tables, graphs, and themes. The result indicates that energy transition in Kenya is ongoing through specific processes and technologies. The results also confirm existing challenges and recommends sustained effort for sustainable development.