Saying No to Coal in Kenya

Developers are proposing to build what would be East Africa’s first coal-fired power plant, in Lamu, a UN World Heritage site on Kenya’s north coast. In November, ELAW partners at Save Lamu filed a case to block the project.

Hearings will take place in May.

The proposed plant would emit extremely hazardous particulate emissions and would also emit nearly 9 million  metric  tons  of  carbon  dioxide  per  year. This is not consistent with Kenya’s commitment to cut carbon emissions in the Paris climate deal, says Save Lamu’s Omar Mohamed Elmawi in a recent Reuters report.

ELAW Staff Attorneys and Scientists are collaborating with partners at Save Lamu, the Katiba Institute, and Natural Justice to ensure the coal  plant and associated pier and infrastructure do not devastate communities, mangroves, and sea turtle habitat.

ELAW Staff Scientist Mark Chernaik provided an expert report that details why approval from Kenya’s National Environment Management Authority fails to comply with environmental principles.

Partners from Save Lamu, the Katiba Institute, and Natural Justice were all in Eugene earlier this month to collaborate with colleagues from around the world at the ELAW Annual International Meeting on their efforts to move beyond coal.

We will keep you informed of our progress protecting communities and the climate from this short-sighted project.

For more information about ELAW’s work in Kenya, contact:

Maggie Keenan
Communications Director

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