Kenya mulls incentives for green technologies: official

Kenya is considering putting in place incentives so as to enable more Kenyans to embrace green technologies, a senior official said on Tuesday.

Principal Secretary for Agriculture Andrew Tuimur told an environmental forum in Nairobi that some of the incentives include lower taxes and levies.

"The aim is to make conversion to green economy a more rewarding process for all stakeholders," Tuimur said during the Third Green Growth Conference and Exhibition.

The three-day event brings over 200 delegates to review ways to increase awareness about green growth initiatives in Kenya.

Tuimur said the government is committed to fast tracking the nation's advancement toward green growth.

"Long-term inclusive green growth is possible especially given that Kenya is blessed with the natural resources necessary to create green energy such as nearly all year-round sunshine, wind, biomass and geothermal," he added.

Tuimur said that Kenya is already seeing the devastating effects of climate change linked to increased global carbon emissions and their impact on agricultural productivity and consequent threats to food security in the country.

Early this year the Kenya climate Change Act becomes law. The law provides a framework for mitigating and adapting to the effects of climate change on all sectors of the economy.

Kenya has also ratified the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Tuimur said that Kenya has already submitted a new climate action plan that contains detailed plans to lower greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent before 2030.

The PS said Kenya's green growth ambitions require buy-ins from national and county governments, civil societies as well as academia. Endit