• 97% of Kenyan respondents say climate change is already affecting their everyday life.
• 76% believe that climate change and environmental damage have affected their income or source of livelihood.
• 81% of Kenyan respondents say investing in renewable energy should be prioritised.

These are some of the key findings from the first African edition[i] of the European Investment Bank’s (EIB’s) 2022 Climate Survey. The EIB is the lending arm of the European Union and the world’s largest multilateral lender for climate action projects. Since 2018, the EIB has conducted similar large-scale climate surveys across Europe, China and the United States.

Kenya’s renewable energy sector is driven by a good mix of renewable energy, including geothermal, wind, hydro- and some utility-scale solar power. Kenya is already in the top 10 countries globally in terms of electricity generation from geothermal power, with close to 1 000 MW of installed capacity.

This is a sign of Kenya’s strong commitment to global climate action, along with the country’s ambitious nationally determined contribution under the Paris Agreement.

The EIB has partnered with the Kenyan government and private sector players in their work to promote the global green energy transition, taking it to the next level with climate mitigation measures in the transport and industry sectors. This is evident from the recently commissioned Olkaria Unit 6 geothermal plant, supported by the EIB. The plant will further strengthen Kenya’s ranking as a country with one of the highest shares of renewable energy (wind, solar and geothermal) in the world.

Henriette Geiger, EU Ambassador to Kenya:

“Kenya has remarkable renewable energy resources that can be enablers to a green and sustainable economy if fully harnessed. The EU Delegation is ready to support Kenya in moving towards a more regenerative economy, to help mitigate the negative impacts of climate change. With the Global Gateway, the EU and EIB intend to promote further large-scale investments across Africa“

Thomas Östros, vice-president of the EIB, said:

“The EIB is working closely with Kenyan partners to accelerate the green transition and to mobilise climate action investment, including support for large-scale clean energy, sustainable transport, water and wastewater management.”

Climate change and environmental degradation

The survey results confirm that climate change has negatively affected the livelihoods of Kenyan people, with 76% stating that their income has been affected. These losses are typically due to severe drought, rising sea levels or coastal erosion, or extreme weather events such as floods or hurricanes.

 

A high 78% of Kenyans, compared with the African average of 57%, say they or people they know have already taken some form of action to adapt to the impact of climate change. Some of these initiatives include investments in water-saving technologies to reduce the impact of drought and drain clearing in advance of flooding.

Meanwhile, nearly half (48%) of Kenyans say that climate change is one of the biggest challenges people in their country are currently facing, next to other top challenges such as inflation or access to food.

Investment in energy sources

When asked about the sources of energy their country should invest in to combat climate change, 81% of Kenyan respondents (compared with the African average of 76%) say that renewable energy should be prioritised, far ahead of fossil fuels (12%).

The EIB has a long-standing relationship with Kenya, which dates back to 1976. Its funding in the country has brought clean energy to thousands of homes through projects such as the construction of the Olkaria geothermal plants and the Lake Turkana wind farm.

The EIB has operated in Africa since 1965. Since then, it has invested €59 billion in 52 African countries, supporting infrastructure projects, innovative firms and renewable energy schemes, in the public sector and private companies, from microenterprises to the largest multinationals. Africa needs to increase its spending on combating climate change by several hundred billion euros a year.

Background information

About the EIB Climate Survey

Conducted in partnership with the market research firm BVA, the first African edition of the EIB Climate Survey aims to inform the broader debate on attitudes and expectations in terms of climate action.

More than 6 000 respondents – including 1 000 Kenyans – aged 15 and over from 10 African countries participated in the survey between 1 and 25 August 2022, with a representative panel for each of the countries polled.

More findings from the first African edition of the EIB Climate Survey

About the European Investment Bank

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union and is owned by the EU Member States. The EIB Group has adopted a Climate Bank Roadmap to deliver on its ambitious agenda to support €1 trillion of climate action and environmental sustainability investments in the decade before 2030 and to dedicate more than 50% of EIB funding to climate action and environmental sustainability by 2025. As part of the roadmap, all new EIB Group operations have been aligned with the goals and principles of the Paris Agreement since the start of 2021.

EIB Global is the EIB Group’s new specialised arm dedicated to increasing the impact of international partnerships and development finance. EIB Global is designed to foster strong, focused partnerships within Team Europe, alongside fellow development finance institutions and civil society. EIB Global brings the EIB Group closer to local people, companies and institutions through its offices across the world.

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[i] Covering Angola, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Jordan, Kenya, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia.