Located in the Rift Valley, Lake Bogoria National Reserve is a stunning place. It is adorned by a pink cloud of flamingos and geysers bubbling with the most spectacular hot water volcanic springs. But unfortunately, James Kimaru, the Lake Bogoria National Reserve Senior warden, told the Africa Climate Conversations that the lake has increased by more than 10 kilometres, and 90 percent of these hot springs are underwater. 

“With the rising temperatures resulting to enhanced rains the alkaline Lake Bogoria, fresh water lakes Baringo and Lake 94 might merge resulting to a massive biodiversity loss as a result. Kenyan’s lack of interest in research for low financial allocation on conservation research,” Kimaru warned.

Annually the lake earns Kenya between Kshs70-80 million, but visits have reduced by over 95 percent over the last year. But despite its tourist attraction and revenue generation Kimaru says only five percent of the Baringo county - home to three flooded rift valley lakes budget goes to conservation research.

“A lot of research has been conducted in terms of water quality, inflow rates and soil texture but none has ever been done on the lake’s level increase. The phenomenon has not been experienced,” Kimaru told the Africa Climate conversations.

Today we are talking about the Scaling Up Renewable Energy Program in Low-Income Countries (SREP) funded by the Strategic Climate Fund. the Strategic Climate Fund is one of the two Climate Investment Funds (CIF). The funds are channelled through five multilateral development banks. SREP has been financing the scaled-up deployment of renewable energy solutions aimed at increasing energy access and economic opportunities.

Covid-19 has impacted energy consumption in Kenya. Paul Ngugi, the Geothermal Development Company regional manager, says with almost 2800 MW installed capacity available to the consumers, a peak demand of nearly 2000 MW. With many power plants ready for commissioning, Kenya is producing more energy than it can use. Despite the home user’s connectivity increasing, there is a need for the county to expand in energy demand and invest in more energy users, preferably industrial users.

Later, in the show, Paul Ngugi, the Geothermal Development company regional manager, will tell us about geothermal explorations in Kenya and the 1600 MW Menengai Geothermal Project, funded by SREP.

In Kenya’s Baringo County 22 schools have either been wholly submerged or destroyed following the swelling of Lakes Baringo, Bogoria, and lake 94. Jacob Chepkwony, the Baringo County deputy governor, says the county requires nearly 550 million shillings that is nearly a 4.5million US dollar for the education sector to recover.

Chepkwony says the administration challenge now is balancing resettling the displaced and achieving the development goals the administration has set to achieve. But for a continent responsible for about four percent of the global emissions, and heavily susceptible to rising temperatures, who pays for these disasters in the future?

Today for the Financing change in Africa series, we feature the $5.4 billion Clean Technology Fund (CTF). One of two multi-donor trust funds under the Climate Investment Funds (CIF) Danny Morris, the clean energy lead coordinator for the CTF tell us all about the CTF, what is the fund has achieved in Africa and future.

We also talk to Fatima Hamdouch, the Director of Strategic Steering Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy (MASEN) on what us what has led to the success of the largest solar plant globally, lighting up Morocco.

Have the persons displaced by the 2020 flooding Kenya's Rift Valley Lakes been forgotten? As Kenya rolls out a Covid-19 vaccination drive amid the country struggling with the third wave, communities displaced by the flooding of Lake Baringo, Lake Bogoria, and Lake 94 among the swelling Rift Valley Lakes spend a sleepless night. Nearly a year on and with long rains starting, parents staying in tents worry of respiratory illnesses outbreaks. Not to mention the wildlife attacks and uncertainty of the expected enhanced rainfall as the water keeps rising. Have they been forgotten a year later? 

The Climate Investment Funds (CIF), a multilateral climate finance mechanism, has been working with the continent's premier financial development institution, the African Development Bank (AfDB) - CIF's implementing entity - renewable financing energy, forestry, and resilience solutions in Africa. Of about $8billion funding, Africa receives one-third of the total funding. In today's conversation, Mafalda Duarte, the Climate Investment Funds CEO, and Gareth Phillips, the climate and environmental finance manager at the AfDB, gives a backgrounder the Climate Investment Funds and the portfolio of work CIF have implemented with the AfDB.

Mental health problems in Kenya and Africa are often interpreted from either a religious or traditional perspective influenced by a person’s cultural perceptions. These perceptions impact not just the provision of care but also determines access. The World Health Organization (WHO) says a growing number of people with mental illness are not receiving mental health care and treatment. Estimates indicate an 85 percent ‘treatment gap’ for low and middle-income countries. But a high number of people opt to seek help from either a religious leader or a traditional healer, depending on their cultural beliefs. Can culture help bridge the treatment gap?

Starting coming Thursday, 1st April 2021, the Africa Climate Conversations is collaborating with the African Development Bank and the Climate Investment Funds (CIF) for an 8-part series on Financing Change in Africa. Since 2010, the continent's premier financial development institution plays an essential role as a CIF implementing entity, advancing a growing portfolio of renewable energy, forestry, and resilience solutions in Africa.

This week, we are still staying in Murang'a county. Today, we talk to Joseph Mbai County Executive Committee member in charge of Health Murang'a County. He ascertains that three people are dying every week due to substance abuse. Why? Why are the youth and young adults are making about 70 percent of the population engaging in drug and substance abuse? What are some of the county's challenges dealing with rising mental health and substance abuse cases? 

Photo by Michael Longmire on Unsplash

In many countries, some landslide-prone areas are known. But often, communities seem to be caught unaware when these landslides hit. 

How do you ensure policymakers pay special attention to the future landslide in their locations? Michael Ngugi, a geographic information system (GIS) expert from the Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD) based here in Nairobi, developed a landslide monitoring tool that tells where a landslide is likely to happen. The economic losses emanating from agricultural, industrial, infrastructure losses, and human impacts, among other impacts. Capturing these details is key to ensure that policymakers monitors and have enough information to rebuild after a disaster.