Promoting Pro-Poor, Climate Compatible Energy for Poverty Reduction and Sustainable

General

The overall aim of this project is to promote informed, inclusive and integrated local and national discussion of the economic, environmental and social cost-benefit analysis of different energy pathways for sustainable economic development and poverty reduction in Kenya. In particular, the aim is to frame this discussion from an “energy for national development” rather than – or rather than solely – a “climate protection” perspective in order to get greater political traction. This project also reflects a crucial moment for local development in Kitui County, where CAFOD’s strategic partner Caritas Kitui works. Planned open-cast, lignite coal extraction in the Mui Basin, Kitui County starting in 2016 could have potentially devastating economic, social, and environmental impacts on local communities, including on their food and water security and their land rights. Again, there is a huge information and analysis gap among local communities, and other stakeholders, including County and National government, and Catholic Bishops on the implications of the coal investments for sustainable economic development and poverty reduction in Kitui. It is vital that a baseline study be carried out before any coal investment-related activities begin. This project meets CAFOD’s Vision 2020 aims of: (1) promoting working with Church partners; (2) integrating advocacy with programme work and; (3) building capacity among Southern partners and identifying/developing new strategic partnerships. The research will provide quantitative and qualitative evidence for policy guidance and will be used to inform and generate evidence-based discussion among national and sub-national policy-makers, public, business, Church leaders, local communities, international development partners and other stakeholders, and to create demand for energy planning that can deliver pro-poor, climate compatible development. In terms of ensuring the project is “sustainable” in the sense of driving long-term structural change, this project can help to achieve such change by: • Providing decision makers with the evidence needed to make informed choices about future energy investments and utilization of the energy generated. • Building public “energy literacy” and in particular building understanding about pro-poor climate compatible energy pathways so citizens can organise for change and hold decision makers to account. • Build the capacity of local communities and local and national level partners to participate in an informed way in energy decision making and to advocate for pro-poor, sustainable energy solutions. • SE4ALL advocates for energy efficiency, equity and renewable sources this project can fast-track the achievement of these pillars