Challenges and opportunities in environmental impact assessment and environmental audit practice in Kenya

Abstract

Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Audit are tools of trade which are available for use by environmental managers around the world. They are applied as early as possible in decisionmaking throughout the life cycle of proposed development projects and actions that may have potentially significant impacts on biophysical and socio-cultural environments. These instruments provide for individual stakeholder and community participation in screening, scoping, environmental impact identification and evaluation, prior to development of Environmental and Social Management plan. Despite the application of Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Audit techniques in environmental management in Kenya for the past two decades, environmental problems continue to persist as evidenced majorly by incessant flooding, drought conditions, collapsing buildings and dams. There are very high hopes in Kenya for environmental conservation and restoration following the roll out of the Competence Based Curriculum (CBC) which entrenches environmental activities on three strands; the environment and its resources, the social environment and the care of environment. Competence Based Curriculum will produce environmental conscious citizens who will contribute towards making the planetary earth a better place to live in. The paper examines Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Audit practice in Kenya and suggests measures for better environmental management.

A Blue Water Scarcity‐Based Method for Hydrologically Sustainable Agricultural Expansion Design

“…The then adopted self‐sufficiency policy in cereal production, has led, in the following decades, to a steady lowering of the groundwater table (Rodell et al., 2009). Kenya is facing a situation of acute water and food insecurity, which will be worsened by hydroclimatic change (Ngaira, 2009). Therefore, boosting coffee production in Kenya may improve the livelihoods of local people and generate export revenue only if it is planned within resource boundaries.…”