A tribunal in Kenya has halted plans for East Africa’s first coal-powered plant. The proposed project would have been built adjacent to the Lamu Archipelago, part of which is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site as the oldest and best-preserved Swahili settlement in the region. Lamu has hosted major Muslim religious festivals since the 19th century and has become a significant center for the study of Islamic and Swahili cultures.
The project was endorsed by recently-appointed Ambassador Kyle McCarter, who said: “Kenya needs a larger, less costly base load of power first. Coal is the cleanest least costly option.” However, the issue is divisive in Kenya with many protesting the need for a coal plant as the fuel continues to be phased out worldwide, including McCarter’s home state of Illinois.
Environmental activists celebrate their victory outside the supreme court building, after a tribunal ruling on the construction of a coal-fired power plant, in Nairobi, Kenya, on June 26, 2019. The Kenyan tribunal blocked the construction of the government-backed plant in Lamu County, which hosts a UNESCO world heritage site and which activists said would cause environmental damage.
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Kenya’s National Environmental Tribunal has ruled that the project lacked a thorough environmental assessment, and failed to engage the general public in consultation. The court blocked the coal project in a move celebrated by local activists who have spent years fighting the scheme.
Judge Mohammed Balala withdrew a previous decision granting a license to developers and ordered them to carry out a new environmental assessment.
Activists argue that the Chinese-built power station could increase Kenya’s total greenhouse gas emissions by over 700% . However, the government argues the US$2 billion initiative, a Chinese-financed venture, will reduce poverty, help secure energy needs, spur growth and create jobs in one of Kenya’s poorest regions.
Locals also point out that the majority of construction jobs would go to imported Chinese workers over locals and that the toxins from the plant will pollute the air risking the health of local people and visiting tourists.
The cultural and environmental value of Lamu is at the forefront of protestor’s concerns. Most locals depend on tourism and fishing, both industries which could be devasted by the coal plant. The project has already had a severe impact on the local environment, with silt from the site destroying a coral reef that was also an important fishing spot. In 2018, a court ordered the government to pay over 4,500 fishermen compensation of US$18 million for the damage.
“Justice is served at last,” said Omar Elmawi, campaign coordinator from the deCOALonize movement. “We still maintain that there is no place for coal in Kenya and we are adamant that renewable energy is the only way to go, the only way to develop.”
According to research by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, the proposed 981MW coal plant would be a costly mistake, locking the country into a 25-year deal at a cost to consumers of more than US$9 billion, even if the plant never generates any power. Additionally, the report argues that Kenya’s abundant renewable resources render no new coal generation necessary in the country until 2029, at the earliest.
Using realistic assumptions, electricity from the plant could cost as much as US$0.75 per kilowatt-hour, on average, during the years 2024 to 2037—more than 10 times what the plant’s proponents have claimed.
“This is a big victory, this is a big day for Lamu people, it’s big day for Kenya, it’s a big day for Africa and it’s a big day for the world,” said Mohamed Athman, a member of the Save Lamu activist group.
Lamu’s Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as the oldest and best-preserved Swahili settlement in the region, retaining its traditional functions. Lamu has hosted major Muslim religious festivals since the 19th century and has become a significant center for the study of Islamic and Swahili cultures.
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At least two-thirds of Kenya’s electricity is currently generated by renewable resources and the country has pledged to reduce its carbon footprint by a third over the coming decade. Kenyans currently get 36% of electricity from hydroelectric and 29.1% of from geothermal according to statistics from the BBC.
China has also committed to reducing its domestic reliance on coal, but continues to finance hundreds of coal-fired power plant under construction around the world. Critics argue that China is simply outsourcing its greenhouse gas emissions by developing foreign markets for its coal.
Kenyan Energy Minister Charles Keter argued before the ruling that changing policy in the United States also encouraged the project, saying: “The people who are talking about coal should know there is clean coal nowadays, it is like nuclear, technology has really improved and if you see America changing their policy, they are going into coal.” However, most scientists and even some coal industry leaders have dismissed the idea of “clean coal” as a myth.
Meanwhile US Ambassador McCarter, just like his boss in the White House, has been active on Twitter. His posts have been mocked in Kenyan media for a number of gaffes, including recently posting a selfie with two young Kenyan children who were applying for visas to play competitive chess in the United States. Their denial of a visa drew ire from many, who criticized Ambassador McCarter of using the children for political gain.
In the visa line yesterday I met this fine young boy and girl. They are Kenya Chess Champions! Although a trip to the US was not possible this time I reminded them that They Are Champions & we are friends! This is the future of Kenya. #USAmarafikipic.twitter.com/TxSjAVcUPF
— Ambassador Kyle McCarter (@USAmbKenya) June 26, 2019
While activists breathe a sigh of relief, it is likely that the battle over the coal plant will continue long into the future. With Kenyan government officials citing new US pro-coal policies, it demonstrates the global impact of rhetoric from the White House and the continued impact of Chinese investment in Africa.
