Title:
Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Procedural Steps that underpin conflict identification: Reference To Renewable Energy Resource Development In Kenya.
Abstract:
Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) is a tool for an integrated assessment of multifaceted impacts of a proposed project. ESIA can identify areas of potential conflicts and prevent conflicts from occurring early through appropriate mitigation measures. This notwithstanding, conflicts and public opposition arising from implementation of proposed projects which have been subjected to ESIA have been observed in various sectors in different countries and jurisdictions. Kenya is one of the African countries endowed with substantial renewable energy resources including geothermal, wind and solar energy resources. The country is now scaling up the development and utilization of these resources to meet growing energy demand. However, implementation of environmental procedures mainstreamed in the development of renewable energy resources, if inappropriately applied, has the potential to slow down development and exploitation trajectory of these resources. While all proposed renewable energy projects in Kenya are subjected to the ESIA process, in some instances challenges have emerged during implementation resulting in conflicts that could be avoided. There is a clear need to understand empirically which of the ESIA procedural steps is critical in underpinning conflict identification for appropriate application.
Bio:
Mr. Philip Manyi Omenge is a Senior Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Practitioner in Kenya with over fifteen years of experience. He is a Lead Practicing Member of the Environmental Institute of Kenya (EIK) and a registered and licensed Lead Expert with the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) Kenya. Besides undertaking environmental and social assessments and audit for World Bank and JICA funded projects such as Kenya Coastal Development Project (KCDP), Judicial Performance Improvement Project (JPIP), Mombasa Port Development Project (MPDP), Mr. Omenge has handled various Impact Assessments for renewable energy projects including East Africa’s first, industrial solar farm installed at Krystalline Salt Limited, Gongoni, Kenya, 36 megawatts wind farm for Mombasa Cement and industrial solar farm for Standard Rolling Mills.
Mr. Omenge holds a Master of Science Degree with a Specialization in Rural Development Studies from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) Uppsala, Sweden, and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Natural Resources Management from Egerton University, Njoro Kenya. Currently, Mr. Omenge is a PhD Candidate at Egerton University, Njoro Kenya, pursuing a doctoral degree programme in Natural Resources and Peace. His PhD research focuses on application of Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) procedures for renewable energy projects in Kenya.