Green economy encompasses all activities or actions that help reduce carbon emissions into the atmosphere which is a major component of greenhouse gases that enhances global warming thus causing climate change. Further, green economy upholds the efficient use of natural resources and energy while enabling economic growth that supports creation of job opportunities and improvement of livelihoods thus alleviating poverty. It is only under these conditions that sustainable development can prevail.

Kenya like other countries in the world has been implementing sustainable development and embracing eco-friendly technologies. In order to enhance efficiency in the use of natural resources and energy, the industrial sector has embraced cleaner production technologies through technical assistance by the Kenya National Cleaner Production Centre. The Centre has build capacity of industries in improving efficiency in the status of production systems/equipment in order to reduce wastage of raw materials and energy aimed at minimizing waste generation at source. In Kenya, green initiatives are spread across public and private sectors of the economy. It is therefore important that green economy be embraced at all levels aimed at reducing individual carbon foot prints in order to uphold sustainability.

The Ministry of Environment and mineral resources has formulated and published a National Climate Change Response Strategy to guide all sectors in mitigating, adapting and coping with effects of climate change. In this regard, the Ministry is spearheading the implementation of the Strategy to ensure the proposed interventions are adopted by the relevant sectors. The implementation of the Strategy will enhance resilience to adverse effects of climate change and ensure programmes and projects become “climate proof”. Further, an implementation plan for various sectors has been developed to action the strategy.

Green economy advocates for activities or actions that reduce carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere, the efficient use of natural resources for sustainable development and creation of job opportunities to alleviate poverty.