Large Scale infrastructural Projects and Climate Change in Kenya: An Assessment of Key Drivers of Climate Change in LAPSSET Project Area in Lamu

Abstract

The paper argues that climate change has become a threat to human survival and life sustaining ecosystems. It argues that Large-scale infrastural projects’ activities accelerates drivers of climate change. Three major objectives were pursued; to identify drivers of climate change at LAPSSET project area; to assess how LAPSSET activities impact on critical ecologically significant Areas (CESA) and to determine possible adoption options by people affected by climate changes in LAPSSET areas. Both qualitative and quantitative frameworks are applied to assess the climatic risks and vulnerabilities. The paper finds that: 63% of the respondents cited high population increase and infrastural development at LAPSSET area as key drivers of climate change. Second ,70% of respondents thought that LAPSSET project was magnet of activities that had serious consequences on the environment and CESAs. While 80% of the respondents identified coral bleaching, clogging of creeks, shifting of fishing sites, changes in weather patterns, increased shoreline and draught as major climate related footprints. The paper recommends funding of environmental mitigating agenda pegged on law and on pre-determined percent of the resources allocated to any large-scale project. It recommends establishing a pool of climate change mitigation green army funded through a multi-agency approach. It also recommended that, all large-scale infrastructural projects operating in the Kenya should, by law be forced to re-green their area of operation and fight threats associated with climate change via legislation.