Kisumu County is moving forward in its climate action journey

The County Government of Kisumu in Kenya is prioritising climate action and has completed its Baseline Emissions Inventory and Access to Energy Assessment. Stakeholders in the territory provided primary data for these studies which will support Kisumu in planning climate actions to reach desired objectives in reducing emissions and increasing access to energy.

In the past, Kisumu county relied on nationally collected data, including the national census, to have a representation of the population with access to energy. Additionally, diagnosis on emissions was previously carried out at a national level, with no localised study to determine the emissions within the County. These studies on the local level are therefore the first of their kind, supported through the Covenant of Mayors in Sub-Saharan Africa (CoM SSA). Both the Baseline Emissions Inventory (BEI) and Access to Energy Assessment (AEA) will be the baseline for the elaboration of Kisumu County’s Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan (SEACAP).

Kisumu County, a signatory to the CoM SSA since 2016, is currently developing its SEACAP through the support of Expertise France under the CoM SSA initiative co-funded by the European Union.  In its climate planning journey, Kisumu County undertook two baseline studies on greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) inventory and access to energy, with data collected from relevant sources, focusing on primary data collection.

To understand the greenhouse gas emissions the study, based on data from 2019, considered the main sectors:
·    Stationary energy, being emissions from energy use in buildings;
·    Agriculture, Forestry & Other Land Use (AFOLU);
·    Industrial Processes & Product use (IPPU);
·    Waste and Transport.

The gases studied were carbon dioxide, (CO2); Methane (CH4); Nitrous oxide (N2O); Hydrofluorocarbons (HFC); Perfluorocarbons (PFC); Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6); Nitrogen trifluoride (NF3). The energy study focused on sources of energy in Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and in households for lighting and cooking.



Tuk-tuk for public transport on a Kisumu street ©Expertise France

Primary data was collected from the seven sub-counties in Kisumu County. The gender aspect was also taken into account, to provide an understanding of the role played by the different genders in the households when it comes to accessing energy. It also analysed the affordability, sustainability, and security of energy access.

Findings of the greenhouse gas emission and energy studies

The BEI revealed that, from the four sectors investigated in the study, besides IPPU, the highest emissions came from energy through fuel combustion from buildings, with charcoal being the highest.

The key findings on electricity use showed that 86% of SMEs were connected to the grid and just over 10% use solar, while 60% of the households are connected to the grid and 39% used solar and all public institutions have access to electricity. On cooking methods, the study revealed that the most utilised source of energy for cooking in households is charcoal and firewood.

These two studies were undertaken by Uhai Lake Forum, an organisation based in Kisumu, engaged by Expertise France to undertake these studies.

The County will now develop its SEACAP using a participatory approach that will require the collaboration of stakeholders. This action plan will provide evidence-based measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and propose preventative measures to address the negative outcomes of climate change in its territory.  The climate action plan will allow the Kisumu County to adapt and improve its resilience to climate hazards that impact the County today as well as risks that may increase in the coming years.

Technical committee discusses  findings of the studies ©Expertise France

Left: Validation session for baseline studies ©Expertise France
Right: Kisumu firewood point of purchase ©Expertise France