Office of Kenya's Special Envoy for Climate

? EEP Africa Grant Opportunity for clean energy projects The Energy and Environment Partnership Trust Fund (EEP Africa) has announced a competitive call for proposals for clean energy initiatives. The organization provides early-stage grant financing for locally driven innovative clean energy projects, technologies, and business models in Southern and Eastern Africa. Support includes technical assistance, investment facilitation, and knowledge-sharing. Funding categories include feasibility studies, pilot projects, replication, and scale-up initiatives. Projects must demonstrate potential profitability and capacity to attract further investment. Learn more and apply: https://lnkd.in/dYHq6G-g ? Deadline: March 21, 2025, 2:00 p.m. EAT

The urgent need for Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) technologies has been clearly established by the IPCC AR6, which identifies them as necessary components for achieving net-zero CO? emissions and meeting the 1.5°C target. While terrestrial CDR approaches have seen significant advancement, marine-based solutions remain underdeveloped in Africa despite their promising potential and the continent's extensive coastlines. Ocean Visions, in partnership with Carbon to Sea Initiative, just concluded a workshop in Dar es Salaam to establish the groundwork for an African Roadmap for Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal (mCDR). This initiative aims to position Africa at the forefront of innovative climate solutions while enhancing blue economy opportunities across the continent. Faith Temba, our Carbon Markets Advisor who was in attendance says: ''Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal (mCDR) holds the potential to advance blue economy goals while addressing climate change, but its success requires collaboration among researchers, policymakers, and local communities across the continent. This convening marks the first step in fostering such partnerships and deserves support from all stakeholders.''

Progress is being made on #climatefinance, but there is much more work that lies ahead. COP29 last year resulted in a finance deal, tripling the current climate finance goal to at least $300 billion a year, and agreeing to the scaling up of financing to at least $1.3 trillion a year to developing countries by 2035. But this is a baseline,?not?an?endline. At the Finance in Common Summit in South Africa, I talked to governments, development banks, investors, and businesses on the work that lies ahead. There is a clear need to: ? Scale up public funding from developed economies towards those still developing – where these funds can have the greatest impact. ? Prioritize people that are often overlooked – women, marginalized communities, Indigenous communities. ? Reform Multilateral Development Banks. ? Prepare climate plans that are ready for investment - including Nationally Determined Contributions and National Adaptation Plans. ? Invest both in emission reduction AND resilience to climate impacts, as both offer massive returns. My message is clear: climate finance is not charity; it is the great enabler of climate action, and it is crucial to protect every economy and billions of people across every nation.

?? A newly completed "electrical highway" enables Ethiopia and Kenya to share electricity, when one country experiences increased demand allowing bi-directional flow of up to 2,000 megawatts of electricity. The integrated transmission system forms a critical segment of the Eastern Africa Electricity Highway and is part of the Eastern Africa Power Pool (EAPP) initiative, which involves 13 countries: ????, ????, ????, ????, ????, ????, ????, ????, ????, ????, ????. Ethiopia is home to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and generates all of its national grid power from renewable sources, while renewable energy accounts for 93% of Kenya's electricity. Experts say?sharing electricity (or “power sharing”) between African countries is fundamental to a successful clean energy transition.?

Yesterday at #OmanClimateWeek, accompanied by the Kenyan Ambassador to Oman, Amb. Ali Mohamed met with H.E. Dr. Abdullah Bin Ali Al Amri, Chairman of the Oman Environmental Authority and current UNEA President. We discussed possible areas of cooperation between Oman and Kenya on climate change initiatives. Amb. Ali also met with the Kenya mission team in Kuwait and Oman, led by H.E. Ambassador Abdi Aden Korio. Both nations are committed to strengthening our long-standing historical ties, particularly in climate adaptation technologies, and clean energy solutions.

With over a decade of expertise in climate finance and carbon markets, MO. Zachary is playing a pivotal role in Kenya’s journey to become a global leader in carbon credit exports. As Senior Advisor in the Office of the Climate Envoy, he supports international climate negotiations and drives impactful climate finance initiatives. Don't miss his insights at #SankalpAfrica2025! ??? 26-27 February 2025 Register here: https://lnkd.in/dMJC2aN7 #ClimateAction #CarbonMarkets #Sustainability #SankalpAfrica2025

Today at #OmanClimateWeek, Amb. Ali Mohamed underscored the ''immense, yet largely untapped, renewable energy potential of Kenya'' which includes 78GW solar, 57GW wind, 6GW hydro, and 10GW geothermal. Kenya has a 92% clean energy grid, but currently generates only 3.2GW—under 2% of the potential. Our goal is to get to 100GW by 2040. To stay within the global carbon budget and limit the number of increasingly record-breaking years like 2024, the warmest year on record, he stressed the need to accelerate the shift to renewables, and invited like-minded partners to invest in Africa's clean energy future.

Amb. Ali Mohamed is in Russia this week to engage with key stakeholders across government, private sector, scientific community and the academia on strengthening collaboration on climate action. He delivered a lecture on "New Challenges in Global Climate Policy: A View from Africa" at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (University) MFA Russia MGIMO to an engaged audience of students, faculty, and climate policy experts. The private sector through Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs' Committee on Climate Policy and Carbon Markets gave an insightful presentation on their perspectives too. He also met with leading Russian climate scientists and technology innovators at the Agency for Strategic Initiatives (ASI). They showcased cutting-edge technologies for measuring greenhouse gas fluxes, adaptation solutions in the water sector, climate impact forecasting for insurance applications, and utilizing remote sensing for comprehensive climate monitoring. This meeting provided valuable insights into Russia's technological approaches to climate challenges and opened possibilities for future knowledge and technology exchange. Further, he met with H.E. Mr. Mikhail Bogdanov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation about developments in the global climate agenda within the current geopolitical context and explored opportunities for coordinated approaches within multilateral forums.

?????Speaker Announcement????? Pleased to announce Joyce Kabui, Advisor, Energy and industrialisation,Office of Kenya's Special Envoy for Climate's Office, will be moderating "The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM): Challenges and Opportunities for African Industries" workshop at #AGES25! ???Joyce is the Africa Manager for the Green Hydrogen Organisation (GH2), where she supports GH2’s activities in Africa and provides coordinating support to the Africa Green Hydrogen Alliance (AGHA). Her role involves ensuring that African countries have a prominent presence in global and regional policy discussions related to green hydrogen and large-scale renewable energy projects. She brings over a decade of international development experience in Africa, having worked with organizations like RTI International and Oxfam International in Kenya Join Joyce in the conversation at AGES25 & Register Now ??https://lnkd.in/dyQPWHRk ??Find out more about our amazing speakers on our website: https://lnkd.in/dkEAWCfH #ages25 #joycekabui #climateenvoy #cbam #workshop

Congratulations to H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf and H.E. Selma Malika Haddadi on assuming leadership of the African Union Commission. As the Office of Kenya's Special Climate Envoy, we look forward to our collaboration on continental climate resilience.