Implementation of Kenya’s Environmental Diplomacy Pillar in Mitigating Air Pollution
Loading...
Date
2024-06
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
Environmental challenges notably air pollution have attracted wide international attention for decades. Individual states have thus sought to address these challenges through different policy frameworks. Kenya promulgated its first ever foreign policy document in 2014 where among others, environmental diplomacy was given prominence by setting up a diplomatic pillar to address matters relating to the environment. Despite such high-level engagement, air pollution continues in the country threatening the achievement of global environmental objectives set forth in multilateral agreements. This study thus sought to evaluate the implementation of Kenya’s environmental diplomacy pillar in its earnest to address air pollution challenge as a contribution to tackling global environmental problems. The specific objectives were to examine the envisioned implementation of Kenya’s environmental diplomacy pillar under the existing environmental laws in Kenya, to assess the degree of environmental awareness and its impact in countering challenges of air pollution in Kenya and to examine the extent of research under Kenya’s environmental diplomacy pillar and its contribution to addressing air pollution in Kenya. This study was anchored on sustainable development theory supported by institutionalism theory. Sustainable development theory calls for implementation and enforcement of relevant policies to address and reverse negative environmental impacts. Institutionalism theory encourages cooperative environmental behavior among states through domestic environmental actions that align with international regimes. This study employed exploratory research design which is ideal in less studied fields. It focused on Kenya which had a relatively new foreign policy pillar on environmental diplomacy. Respondents were drawn from the headquarters of key ministries and other institutions dealing with environmental matters and environmental diplomacy in the Kenyan capital city, Nairobi. The target population comprised of 130 key informants drawn from institutions concerned with environmental matters from which a sample of 30% was selected. The study used both primary and secondary data. Primary data was collected using self-administered semi-structured questionnaires while secondary data was obtained through review of relevant documents. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and conceptual content analysis aligned to the study objectives. The findings were presented in a narrative supported by tables. The study found that Kenya’s environmental diplomacy pillar had not been fully implemented to synergize environmental actions and a clear implementation framework for the pillar was lacking. Institutions dealing with environmental policies implementation also suffered from inadequate capacity and resources. It was further established that the level of awareness about the environment and air pollution was moderate and there were no coherent environmental awareness creation structures. The study also found that research on air pollution and related issues was low. These findings expanded the existing body of knowledge on Kenya’s environmental diplomacy pillar, established the progress made in its implementation and provided a basis for remedial measures to fully exploit the potential of the pillar. Further, this study generated new empirical evidence that could be useful in theory building and refinement. The study recommended formulation of a detailed implementation framework for the environmental diplomacy pillar, adequately resourcing implementing institutions, establishment of formal structures for environmental and air pollution awareness creation and enhancement of environmental research.
Description
A Research Project Submitted to the School of Law, Arts and Social Sciences in Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Award of Degree of Master of Arts (International Relations and Diplomacy) of Kenyatta University, June 2024.
Supervisor
Xavier Francis Ichani