City of Nairobi - Environment Outlook

8/9/2019 City of Nairobi - Environment Outlook

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2007 City Council of Nairobi

The contents and views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of City

Council of Nairobi (CCN) or contributory organizations.

The opinions, figures and estimates set forth in this publication do not necessarily be considered as reflecting

the view or carrying the endorsement of CCN.

The designations employed and the presentations do not imply the expressions of any opinion whatsoever

on the part of CCN or contributory organizations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city

or area or its authority, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

Mention of a commercial company or production in this publication does not imply the endorsement of

CCN.


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CITY OF NAIROBI ENVIRONMENT OUTLOOK

A state of environment (SoE)

report is a vital tool in managing

the environment at community,

ward, district, national or global

levels. Under the Environmen-

tal Management and Coordina-

tion Act (EMCA) of 1999, it is

a statutory requirement for the

government to produce an annualstate of environment (SoE) report.

On the basis of the SoE report,

the government prepares five-

year environmental action plans

at national, provincial and district

levels. The SoE reports provide

potential solutions to myriads

of environmental problems from

community to national levels.

At the national level, the state

of environment (SoE) reportingprocess aims to track yearly

environmental issues and

developments and highlight for

action by policymakers, planners

and other stakeholders. The SoE

highlight information on trends,their driving forces, current

policies and any emerging issues.

It also assesses the impacts of the

changing environment on people

and ecosystems. The environment

outlook process greatly enhances

the SoE as a planning tool by

introducing a forward looking

component of the report.

The EMCA 1999 entitles every

Kenyan to a clean and healthy

environment. Additionally, the Act

requires every person to protect

and enhances the quality of the

environment. In this connection,

the City of Nairobi Environmen-

tal Outlook Report (CNEOR) has

identified the factors, which impact

negatively on our environment.

The report has also proposed

actions, for which I expect theCity Council of Nairobi to give

due and timely attention. Indeed,

the residents of Nairobi deserve

and are entitled to live in a clean

and healthy environment.

The CNEOR has been prepared

within the context of UNEP

Governing Council/Global

Ministerial Environment Forum

(GC/GMEF) decisions and those of

the African Ministerial Conference

on the Environment (AMCEN). The

decisions relate to the implemen-

tation of the Global Environment

Outlook (GEO) process as well

as the A frica Environment Outlook

and Africa Environment InformationNetwork (AEIN) processes which

latter two have been mandated by

AMCEN. The ministry appreciates

the support of UNEP and UN-

Habitat in this process, which

will go a long way to enhancing

the information base for decision

support.

The CNEOR has benefited from

the expertise of various profession-

als. The stakeholders too have

given their input. I, therefore,

expect the Cit y Council of Nairobi

(CCN) to consider the recommen-

dations that have been proposed

and take the necessary actions.

The actions taken should benefit

the productive capacity of our

ecosystem and the quality of the

health of our people. The Ministry

of Local Government and indeedthe Government fully supports this

initiative.

Hon. Musikari Kombo

Minister of Local Government

iii

FOREWORD

iiiCITY OF NAIROBI ENVIRONMENT OUTLOOK


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PREFACE

The protection of the environment is

a priority activity of the City Council

of Nairobi (CCN). In this connection,

the Council is implementing a

number of projects, all of which aim

at controlling pollution, reducing

incidences of environmentally-

related diseases, increasing tree

cover, landscaping open spaces

and planting flowering plants and

grass cover. Additionally, we are

collaborating with other government

agencies to enforce laws that protect

for instance our forest reserves, the

City Park, the Nairobi Arboretum

and the Nairobi National Park.

The CCN is fully aware that

the success of its beautificationprogrammes as well as the sanitation

programme depends on information

and data on the state of the citys

environment. The preparation of

the City of Nairobi Environmen-

tal Outlook Report (CNEOR) isthus a significant contribution to

the programmes of the Council

intended to enhance the quality of

the environment of city residents as

well as their health and support a

wider city strategic planning process..

The Council therefore acknowledg-

es with gratitude the support and

contribution of the United Nations

Environment Programme (UNEP)

and the United Nations Centre for

Human Settlement (UN-Habitat) to

the CNEOR process.

The city faces serious challenges

of physical planning; unsustainable

migration into Nairobi; poverty which

is pushing many unemployed people

to resort to informal business some

of which are detrimental to health;

the expanding agricultural activities

which often uses unregulatedchemicals and waste water, resulting

in increased health problems; and

encroachment and pollution of

riparian reserves and wetlands. A

serious challenge to the Council, the

business community and residents

of Nairobi is the huge problem of

pollution and waste management.

Human settlement in Nairobi is

dominated by informal settlements,

which lack basic infrastructure, such

as urban transport, water and

sanitation. In recognition of the

human settlement concerns, the

Government of Kenya has launched

a National Housing Development

Programme. Of notable significanceis the Kenya Slum Upgrading

Programme (KENSUP).

Nairobi lacks a comprehensive

physical development plan; and

neither does it have an environmen-

tal policy addressing circumstances

peculiar to the city. The formulation

of these policy instruments would

go a long way in addressing the

issues identified by the CNEOR,

especially the poor quality human

settlements and pollution and

waste management. In this regard,

the Council will move with speed

to address these fundamental

issues and other policy options

recommended by this report.

Dick Wathika

Mayor of the City

Council of Nairobi

iv CITY OF NAIROBI ENVIRONMENT OUTLOOK


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1CITY OF NAIROBI ENVIRONMENT OUTLOOK

IntRODuCtIOn

The City of Nairobi Environment Outlook Report is

an integrated assessment of the environment that

examines the state of the environment, and highlights

the opportunities and prospects of these to achieve

development and enhance environmental sustainabil-

ity. It highlights the impacts of interactions between

human activities and the environment interactions

which manifest themselves through environmental

degradation, pollution and generally poor human

well-being. It also discusses some of the available

opportunities to use the environmental resources as

assets for development.

The analysis is based on a series of consecutive

questions:

What environmental resources are available at the

city level?

What types of opportunities exist in using the

resources to promote poverty reduction and

sustainable development?

What are the main challenges that Nairobi faces inseizing the opportunities to utilise the resources?

What policy and institutional actions should be

taken in order to seize the opportunities?

What would be the consequences if Nairobi fails to

seize these opportunities.

The preparation of this report is to set the basis for

a permanent assessment process on the state of the

environment and thus act as a stimulus for change by

the local government and society. In the short term, it

should provide input into the city development strategy

and thus ensure mainstreaming of environment issues

in all development activities.

POPuLAtIOn AnD HEALtH

Backgrod o nairobiPeople are at the centre of environment and

development in Nairobi city. As the capital of Kenya,

Nairobi is a centre of industry, education and culture

occupying an area of 696.1 km2 (0.1 per cent of

Kenyas total surface area) and hosting about 25

per cent of Kenyas urban population (UNCHS

2001). It is also the world headquarters of two

United Nations agencies: UNEP and UN-Habitat;

and houses regional offices of some UN agencies

such as UNICEF, UNESCO, UNIDO, and UNDP,

reinforcing Nairobis importance as the diplomatic,

commercial and cultural centre in Africa.

nairobi

bodaries

ad Divisios


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Poplaio growh ad disribioPopulation is a major driver of environmental change

in Nairobi and current trends point to the continued

growth of Nairobi (table 1). This suggests a higher

number of inhabitants with lifestyles that demand

high energy, more land for the built environment, and

increasing natural resources consumption. This has

implications for the natural ecosystems that are

crucial for maintaining ecological and ultimately

economic stability.The average density of population

for Nairobi is 3 079 people/km2 (CBS 2001) but

this varies significantly across the different divisions

(see box 1). This has impacts on the effectiveness

and ability of the City Council of Nairobi (CCN) to

deliver services such as health, education, transport,

housing as well as recreational facilities.

Box 1: Saellie images of Kibera ad Mhaiga areas i nairobi

From satellite imagery, one gets a good impression of the population density in different areas of

Nairobi. The image on the left shows Muthaiga in Westlands division, an upmarket residential area;

while the image on the right is of Kibera, a slum area in Kibera division.

Source: RCMRD

Ciy

1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015

Source: UNCHS 2001

table 1: Poplaio size ad growh rae fornairobi 1985-2015

Esimaes ad

projecios (hosads)

Aal growhrae %

Share i corysrba poplaio %

1985-95 1995-2005 2005-15 1985 2000 2015

Nairobi 1100 1403 1810 2310 2841 3346 3773 5.0 4.5 2.8 28.0 23.2 22.5

2 CITY OF NAIROBI ENVIRONMENT OUTLOOK


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According to the UNFPA, human impact on the

environment is a function of population size, per

capita consumption and the environmental damage

caused by the technology used to produce what

is consumed (UNFPA 2001). The environmental

consequences of population growth are amplified with

increasing numbers. But the increasing population

can also be looked at as an asset for development

in the context of labour and markets.

As population increases, so does the demand for

jobs and services such as health, education, transport,

housing as well as recreational facilities. Given

shrinking public sector employment and job cuts

in the private sector, the informal sector is playing

employment interface between the modern sector

and other small-scale activities. By 2005, over 50

per cent of Nairobis labour force worked in the

informal sector (CBS 2006, UNCHS 2001). Women

are key players in the informal sector.

Nairobi contributes 6 per cent to total national

poverty, and about 44 per cent of the population

lives below the poverty line. A number of things

contribute towards this poverty: unemployment and

underemployment; landlessness; climate variabil-

ity; low education; inadequate sanitation, health

facilities and clean water (MNDP 2005). Many ofthese basic necessities are derived either directly from

the environment and the natural resource base or

indirectly from ecosystem services. This dependence

means that the city, and especially the urban poor,

is vulnerable to sudden shocks and changes to the

environment such as water and air pollution, floods,

prolonged droughts, crop losses through diseases

and pests, and conflicts.

The Kenyan government is convinced that employment

creation is the most effective strategy for reducing

poverty and for achieving key targets such as the

millennium development goals. The Economic Recovery

Strategy for Wealth and Employment Creation 2003

thus aims to encourage economic growth, generate

employment opportunities, and reduce poverty levels.

This is the major driving force behind economic

activity and consequent environmental impacts.

LAnD uSE, SEttLEMEntS AnDInFRAStRuCtuRE

Lad coverLand resources in Nairobi include forests, freshwater

systems, and biodiversity that hold vast potential for

development if managed sustainably. These include

agriculture, tourism, human settlements, and a vital

carbon sink for the city. Table 2 shows the land use

types in Nairobi.

When Nairobi was established, the landscape was

a mosaic of open grassland, montane closed forest

and moist woodland swampy areas (Ndungu et.al.

1995).

But the growing population is increasingly putting

pressures on land resources. The natural vegetation in

the city area has been greatly modified, and even the

Nairobi National Park is being threatened. Indeed

land use conflicts in Kitengela area, a major migration

corridor of wild animals to and from Nairobi National

Park are now common.

Calculations show that Nairobis ecological footprint

is 32 times its area (GFN 2006). While this may be

low compared to cities elsewhere in the world, it still

means that at current levels of economic production

and consumption, the human load exceeds long-term

carrying capacity of the city (Rees 2003). Box 2

describes the concept of ecological footprint.

Lad se ad lad se plaig A big threat to the development of Nairobi and, in

particular, planned settlement is a lack of approved

and up-to date physical development plans. Nairobi

lacks an approved master human settlement plan

or physical development plan. The only operational

plan approved for Nairobi is the 1948 master plan,

as the revised 1973 version was never approved

(NEMA 2003). Most urbanisation is therefore taking

place in a planning vacuum. Urban planning and

management have not effectively offered solutions

to the increasing urban decay and environmental

crisis. Some of the impacts of the lack of a clear

planning strategy include haphazard patterns of

development with a mix of activities that may not

be compatible with the area, an over-concentrationof employment in the Central Business District (CBD)

and industrial area, resulting in traffic congestion

and environmental pollution, and rapid growth of

informal settlements.



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One land use of emerging importance is urban

agriculture. It is estimated that crops worth over US$

3.2 million are produced each year from irrigated

urban agriculture in the city (Ayaga et.al. 2004).

Women play a vital role in urban agriculture, many

of whom engage in cultivation as a survival strategy.

Urban agriculture does not feature in the comprehen-

sive urban development plan; and while many assume

it is illegal, a close look at the Local Government and

Public Health Acts, and the Nairobi Bylaws, indicates

that it may be practiced under certain restrictions.

While urban agriculture presents opportunities in

support of alternative livelihood strategies, it is not

without environmental impacts.

The risks range from an upsurge in zoonotic disease

to chemical poisoning, and environmental damage.

For instance low-income farmers in Nairobi block

sewers to get the water and nutrients for irrigating

their crops, causing risks from pathogens as well as

any heavy metals in the waste water (source). Kenya is

a signatory to the Harare Declaration 2003 on Urban

and Peri-Urban Agriculture in Eastern and SouthernAfrica which recommends the development of policies

to create an enabling environment for integrating

urban agriculture into the urban economies.

HosigProvision of shelter is also a challenge, with the

authorities unable to keep pace with an annual

housing shortfall of over 120 000 units (Kusienya

2004). Lack of investment in middle- and low-income

housing has led to the mushrooming of informal

settlements. Currently about 65 per cent of the citys

population live on just 5 per cent of the residential

land (source). In such conditions overcrowding and


Box 2: Ecological foopri

A cities ecological footprint is the area of

productive land and aquatic ecosystems

required to produce the resources used

and to assimilate the wastes produced

at a specific material standard of living,wherever that land may be located (Rees

2003). For Kenya this was 0.8ha/person in

2003, which is the average for low income

countries (GFN 2006). The average for

Africa is 1.1ha/person (GFN 2006).

Many factors influence the area of a given

populations ecological footprint, including

the population size, the average material

standard of living, the productivity of the

land/water base, and the (technologi-cal) efficiency of resource harvesting,

processing, and use (Rees 2003).

Lad se ype Area (km2) Cover (%)

Residential areas 175.6 25.22

Industrial/commercial/service centres 31.8 4.57

Infrastructure 15.9 2.28

Recreation 12 1.72

Water bodies and river ine areas 11.8 1.69

Urban agriculture 96.8 13.9

Open lands 198.8 28.55

Others (including protected areas) 153.6 22.06

Source: DRSRS 1994 in NEO p.57

table 2: Lad se ypes of nairobi i 1994


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poor sanitary conditions is a cause of environmental

health problems.

Government has formulated a National Housing

Policy 2004 and a National Housing Development

Programme (NHDP) 2003-2007 to operationalise the

policy. A draft Housing Bill (2006) has also been

prepared. It aims to enhance access to adequate

housing and makes provision for the development

of evictions guidelines, and the establishment of

a tribunal to adjudicate complaints. The bill also

proposes the establishment of a National Housing

Fund to aid future housing development.

The urbanisation rate and population-related land

pressures are two policy issues that the CCN needs to

look at seriously. Land is a highly volatile and political

issue and its control continues to be a critical factor

in the development of African politics and economies

(Bruce et.al 1996). With limited land available for

city expansion, it can be expected that this issue

will assume growing importance in city politics. The

continued growth of Nairobi will require a coherent

and pragmatic approach to planning.


Figre 1: Iformal selemes i nairobi

Urban agriculture in Nairobi

Source: City Council of Nairobi

Source: RCMRD


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Ifrasrcre ad servicesComponents of infrastructure and services discussed

in this section are energy supply and use; transport

and urban mobility; water supply and sanitation; and

health and education. Provision and maintenance of

infrastructure has been a major problem, especially,

within the low income urban settlement.

Energy supply and use

Households, commerce and industry in Nairobi use a

combination of fuels. These choices depend on price,

income levels, availability of the fuel and appliances

that it will use. Energy sources used include biomass,

fossil fuels, hydro and geothermal. Biomass is by

far the most predominant fuel providing over 74per cent of energy consumed in the country (NEMA

2003). It is estimated that 80 per cent of urban

household requirements are met by charcoal (CBS

2002). Baseline surveys reveal that Nairobi consumes

approximately 91 250 t of charcoal annually, equating

to the destruction of over 900 000 t of green wood

each year (Barnett and Ndanyi 2003).

Energy challenges include increasing prices of

modern energy; and low dam reservoir capacity

exacerbated by climatic variability and recurrent

drought.

Transport and urban mobility

Nairobis transport infrastructure is ill-equipped

to handle the additional travel generated by the

increasing population, and other service and

industrial activities. Indeed traffic congestion is a

common problem exacerbated by a lack of space

(especially in the CBD), weak enforcement of traffic

regulations, parking restrictions, land-use control

and the failure to develop an adequate policy and

planning framework.

Dealing with urban mobility issues is an economic,

social and an environmental priority. The traffic jams,

pollution, inadequate pedestrian facilities and cycle

lanes are a major set back to the productive capacity

of the economy affecting all segments of society.

The CCN needs to think seriously about supporting

sustainable forms of transport. Apart from being non-

polluting to the environment, some forms of non-

motorised transport such as bicycles serve a dual

purpose: they provide a means of transport and also

livelihood support when used as commodities of trade

or facilitating service occupations (Kasuku 2002).

Water supply and sanitation

Ground and surface water both play an important

role in water supply for Nairobi. Although the current

policy of the CCN is to rely solely on surface water,

the use of groundwater is becoming important

especially to provide adequate service levels and

as a strategic reserve in times of drought (Foster

and Tuinhof 2005). However protective measuresneed to be put in place to guard against over-

exploitation of ground water resources as this might

lead to undesirable effects such as the lowering of

the water table, the risk of local infrastructure and

building damage, and possibility of land subsidence.

An example from elsewhere in the world shows that

Mexico City sunk by more than 10 meters in the last

70 years from overexploitation of the ground water

(UNCHS 2000 in UNEP/DRSRS undated).

The main problems facing the water and sanitation

sector include access to water, water quality, access

to sanitation and poor solid waste management. Only

about 42 per cent of households in Nairobi have

proper water connections (MWI/WSP 2005). The

urban poor and slum dwellers are the ones who suffer

most from the lack of piped water supply with many

forced to spend a large proportion of their income

on water leading to household poverty. For instance

during periods of water shortage in Kibera slum,

a 20-litre jerry-can goes for up to Ksh20 shillings

($0.27), and yet the majority of residents live belowthe poverty line and spend less than one dollar a

day (IRIN 2006).

The Water Act 2002 provides for water resources

management and development in Kenya. It has

A traffic jam in central Nairobi in March 2007.

Source: City Council of Nairobi



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proposed reforms that separate water management

and service provision, providing for better regulation

of the sector. In 2004, the CCN privatised water

services under the National Water Sewerage Company

in order to improve on water supply and demand

management. The CCN is also increasingly opting for

private-public partnerships to improve on sanitation

and waste management services.

Only 48 per cent of Nairobis population is served by

the existing waterborne sewerage sys tem (ROK 2002).

By Ministry of Health standards, only 66.5 per cent of

Nairobi residents have access to adequate sanitation

see figure 1 (CBS 2002, WSP 2004). The poor

state of sanitation and the inadequacy of sewerage

management pose a health hazard to residents.

Studies have shown that 50 per cent of all preventable

illnesses in Kenya are water, sanitation and hygiene

related (Practical Action 2005). Sanitation in the

informal settlements is very basic. It mostly consists

of earth drains, communal water points, no solid

waste disposal systems and pit latrines each shared

by many people.

Waste management is a growing problem in Nairobi.

The increase in solid waste generation has not

been accompanied by an equivalent increase in the

capacity of the relevant urban authorities to dealwith this problem. About 40 per cent of the waste

generated in Nairobi is collected by the CCN, the

private sector collect about 20 per cent and the

balance is left uncollected, or is disposed of through

other means (Ikiara 2006). The private sector and

civil society organisations are increasingly playing

an important role in waste collection and disposal.

It is estimated that there are at least 60 private

companies engaged in solid waste collection services

in the city (JICA 1998). The Ministry of Health has

produced a draft policy on National Environmental

Sanitation and Hygiene 2004 to address some of

the above issues.

Health and education

It has been argued that the most important and

immediate consequence of environmental degradation

in the developing world takes the form of damage to

human health (Franz and Fitzroy 2006). Good health

is a basic component of human well-being and a

necessity for earning a livelihood. Unfortunately thepoor are much more vulnerable to ill health, and

ill health is itself an important factor in reinforc-

ing the poverty cycle (WRI 2005). Information on

distribution of health facilities is critical in ensuring

efficient access and implementation of cost-effective

health-care strategies including preventive measures

through the improvement of environmental quality.

In 2005, the number of health facilities in Nairobi

was estimated at 389 (CBS 2006).

The main health issues in Nairobi include access

to health facilities, child and maternal mortality

and the incidences of certain diseases such as

HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, among others.

Most of these diseases are related to the state of

the environment.

Providing educational opportunities to both men and

women is a means for cultural, social and economic

development. It therefore follows that strategies

for improved literacy and access to educational

opportunities will do much to improve the wellbeing

of the people and the environment. Literate individu-

als are better equipped to participate in solutions

to everyday personal and community problems.

They are more likely to play a meaningful part on

environmental decision making and to take advantage

of opportunities for environmental justice. Illiteracy

levels are lowest in Nairobi compared to the rest

of the country 21 per cent for women, and 12

per cent for males (CBS 2003c). The government

introduced free primary education in 2003. This wasintended to broaden access to primary schooling

especially among poor households.

Source: CBS 2002

Figre 2 Saiaio faciliy sed by nairobi resides



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POLLutIOn AnD WAStEMAnAGEMEnt

Pollution and waste management from industrial,

domestic and other sources are a growing problem in

Nairobi. The main drivers being increasing urbanisa-

tion, rural-urban migration, rising standards of living

and rapid development associated with population

growth.

Waer pollioThe natural groundwater quality is generally good

and reaches the drinking water standards for mostconstituents, except for fluoride which often exceeds

1 mg/l (Foster and Tuinhof 2005). Surface water

on the other hand is heavily polluted with a variety

of pollutants such as agro-chemicals, heavy metals,

microbial as well as persistent organic pollutants

(UON/UNEP 2005).

Disposal of untreated waste from domestic,

commercial, and industrial premises into unprotected

surface watercourses and wetland areas also pollutes

subsurface water posing a danger to human health

and leading to eutrophication, deoxygenation and

habitat modification of the riverine system. Figure

2 shows the pollution hotspots along the Nairobi

river basin.

Air pollioNairobi is faced with two major issues as far as

the atmospheric environment is concerned: climate

change and air quality. These are mainly the result

of anthropogenic activity in the transpor t, energy and

industrial sectors. The main sources of atmospheric

pollution are vehicles, industries, emissions from

the use of charcoal and firewood for energy,

and other municipal sources such as suspended

particulate matter from dust and the open burning

of waste. Figure 3 shows the average total suspended

particulate matter over Nairobi.

The impacts of air pollution range from ecological

to socio-economic. These include loss of biodiver-sity; damage to vegetation, buildings and animal

health due to acid rain; and climate change. It also

affects human health and affects visibility which can

result in traffic accidents or create unpleasant living

environments for people. The growing incidence of

pollution is thus creating new challenges for human

well-being and environmental integrity.

When taken in a global contex t, Nairobis contribu-

tion to the emissions linked to climate change is

negligible. But the impacts of climate change, in

the form of droughts and floods, are already being

felt, especially in the informal settlements, where

coping mechanisms and adaptation strategies are

weak (Action Aid 2006). Other extreme climate events

such as drought have also hit the city. For instance,

the 1999/2000 droughts led to serious power and

water rationing and an influx of pastoralists and their

livestock to Nairobi. The daily loss in revenue was

estimated at US$50 000 for Nairobi at the height

of the drought (UNEP/DRSRS undated).

The government has taken steps to address someof these issues. For instance, the Energy Act 2006

provides for policy formulation including environmen-

tal, health and safety in the energy sector. Industry is

also being encouraged to adopt cleaner production

Solid waste floating in Ngong River

Source: Nairobi River Basin Programme Phase III,2005



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Figre 3: Average oal sspeded pariclae maer over nairobi

technologies and processes that apart from being

good for the environment should reduce costs of

production and improve competitiveness.

Solid waseNairobi is increasingly being faced with vast amounts

of solid waste that are generated and dumped

into the environment untreated. This is partly due

to the rapid population increase; but also due to

the unplanned development of informal business-

es. While the pollution effects of such small-scale

enterprises may be small at the individual firm level,

taken together, may have considerable impacts on

the environment. The city has only one dump site

located at Dandora, and this is perceived to have

reached full capacity.

This has led to the emergence of illegal dumpsites

along road sides, backyards of residential houses

and commercial premises. Despite privatization ofwaste collection, areas occupied by the poor have

not been served.

Since over 50 per cent of the waste generated

is organic in nature, there are opportunities for

Burning of solid wastes at a medical health facilityin Nairobi in 2004

Source: M. Koech

Source: Maluku and Kariuki 2001



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organic waste recovery. Using waste as a resource,

for example through composting organic waste for

reuse in urban agriculture or for energy generation

is one way of reducing the environmental problems

linked to waste and also as a means of reducing

urban poverty.

nAIROBIS FutuRE

Olook: 2006-2025This document uses three scenarios designed by the

AEO Cities Programme to provide a means for the

leadership of Nairobi City Council to strategically

think about the uncertain aspects of the future or to

discover the aspects about which they should be most

concerned. Breaking through the barrier of uncer tain-

ty can provide a useful context for debate, lead

to better policy and decision making and hopefully

translate to better programmes and action on the

ground (Shell 2003).

Because there is no single answer to the waythe future may unfold, this chapter presents three

scenarios for Nairobi over the next twenty years.

The scenarios have the same basic assumptions, but

each one describes a different way in which certain

trends could play out.

The three contrasting scenar ios are equally probable.

However the extent to which they can be realised

depends on the interplay of the various driving forces

behind the scenarios. The power of scenario analysis

is in its ability to prepare the city for any eventualities.

The ability to incorporate these in plans, strategies

and policy reform processes will help policy makers

in making the decisions today that will determine the

future attainment of an environmentally sustainable

city.

The first scenario, inertia implies a resistance to

change. In other words, business proceeds as usual.

Some environmental initiatives are put in place by

the local government however the impact on the

environment is much less than expected.

In the second scenario, worst case increasing

poverty and environmental degradation undermine

the local governments efforts to ensure sustainable

development. Here the capacity of regulatory

institutions and the NCC for environment management

is reduced. Environmental initiatives are not effective,

and as environmental degradation increases, levels

of poverty and disease epidemics rise.

The best case scenario sees responses by the

local government and society actually promoting

sustainable environmental management. A strong

NCC seeks to develop strong institutions and

community leaders to develop home grown solutions

to the citys environmental problems. It especially

incorporates traditional, cultural and other indigenous

values to augment national and other donor-driven

development policies.

Opios for PolicyThe analysis in the first two sections of the document

shows that Nairobi is a city with great potential

for growth and development. Indeed the overriding

objective of the city leadership is for sustainable

urban development that contributes productively to

national development. The last chapter of the City

of Nairobi Environment Outlook Report (CNEOR)

specifies a number of policy options that can

be undertaken to promote economic growth and

development while protecting the environment. Acrossthe sections, a common approach can be identified.

Policy recommendations are then given for each of

the different sections:

Geeral recommedaios The CCN in collaboration with the Ministry

of Local Government, relevant government

agencies and other stakeholders should prepare

a strategic master plan for the development of

an integrated urban infrastructure system and to

guide implementation of the proposed actions. This

master plan should also incorporate the functional

Nairobi metropolitan area, which has forward

and backward linkages with the city. It should

also include a programme for the development of

human, institutional and technological capacity.

The master plan should be subjected to, and

incorporate findings of a strategic environment

assessment study. Environment management needs to be

mainstreamed within all programmes of the CCN.

This will require the following: the involvement

of CCN, government and other stakeholders;



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establishment of a Technical Steering Committee

under the chairmanship of the Town Clerk and

composed of departmental heads, relevant

government agencies and other stakeholders to

aid implementation; and a prioritized work plan,

dedicated staff with a supporting budget.

An environmental policy for Nairobi should be

formulated to promote environmental quality,

including providing measures (environmental

impact assessment and strategic environmental

assessment) for incorporating environmental

concerns in the development and maintenance

of human settlements, commercial and industrial

uses as well as for infrastructure such as transport,

energy, water and sanitation services in which

all stakeholders are consulted/involved in its

formulation and implementation.

Poplaio ad healh

Investing in people

In collaboration with government, strategies for

managing population growth in the city need to

be formulated. These should include measures forincreasing economic, educational, health and other

social infrastructure in other regions of the country

as well as satellite towns of Nairobi. The measures

should include incentive-based programmes

in other parts of the country (such as jobs and

educational opportunities) aimed at slowing down

migration into Nairobi. Additionally, it should

encourage most girls to go to the highest level of

education since girls with high levels of education

have fewer children.

The CCN in consultation with the government

and other stakeholders should formulate a

city development strategy and implementation

programme to expand provision of basic

infrastructure, such as water and sanitation,

decent housing, health and education facilities

and reduce or ultimately eliminate altogether

unplanned settlements. The strategy should provide

for livelihood support; buffering heavily populated

low income settlements sited near industrial areas

and located along air pollution fall-out zonesfrom industrial air pollution; and establishment

of flexible and affordable planning and building

standards that support low cost technology housing

to enhance urban poverty reduction.

Strengthening environmental governance

Urban sector development programmes should

incorporate poverty reduction and employment

creation strategies, for example the promotion of

urban agriculture, in order to improve livelihood

opportunities and human well-being especially for

the urban poor.

There is need to strengthen existing governance

structures with a view to enhancing environmental

management. The statutory Provincial and District

Environment Committees created under EMCA

should be provided with adequate resources and

technical expertise to facilitate proper supervision

of environmental programmes in Nairobi. In

addition, the CCN should further enhance the

capacity of its Environment Department.

Community involvement and public education

processes should be promoted as the basis

for successful planning and implementation of

environmental management, poverty reduction and

sustainable development programmes.

Strengthening health services

To improve access to health facilities, reduce mortality

and the incidences of environmentally-related diseasesin Nairobi, the following actions are recommended:

Develop and implement measures for enforcing

the existing legal provisions relating to improved

environmental integrity and the provision of health

services especially among the poor;

Formulate a strategy and programme of

implementation for improving provision of water

and sanitation services, especially among the

urban poor in collaboration with all stakeholders;

Provide economic incentives on such aspects as

clean sources of energy to make them accessible to

the poor; and

Formulate policies to deal with poverty

Lad se, selemes adifrasrcre

Improving land use and land management

Formulate and implement a land-use policy topromote environmentally sustainable development

by integrating environmental concerns into

land use planning and physical development.



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The policy should address issues of urban

physical development and expansion. It should

provide for the improvement in the aesthetic

and environmental quality of the city, including

provision of recreational open space facilities. It

should also provide for preservation strategies

to deal with natural and man made wetlands

within the city, to enhance their utility and beauty.

It will be necessary thereafter to review existing

laws relating to land use planning and land

development.

Improving the quality of human settlements

Undertake a comprehensive spatial and temporal

inventory of the city on a regular basis. This should

be supported by a spatial information system for

improved urban management.

Develop and implement a comprehensive

monitoring and evaluation programme for

commercial and residential expansion and

development necessary incorporating health, safety

and environmental standards and guidelines as

stipulated by the various laws in Kenya.

A human settlements policy and strategy

focusing on re-planning, slum upgrading andredevelopment of dilapidated formal and

informal settlements needs to be developed. It

should provide flexibility with regard to planning

and building standards with appropriate low

cost technology as a proactive measure to

urban poverty reduction. It should also provide

incentives for the involvement of the private

sector, the housing cooperative movement, civil

society organisations, development partners and

community organizations in the development

of housing. A housing development fund,

co-managed by both beneficiaries and the

government, should also be established.

Pollio ad wase maageme

Improving water quality In view of the threats to human health and

environmental quality posed by polluted and orcontaminated water, the CCN should formulate a

strategy to enhance the protection of underground

and surface water from pollution. This should

include enforcing legal provisions, and the

expansion of existing waste water treatment plants.

New technologies should be explored to enhance

the treatment of waste water and to provide

opportunities for the re-use of waste water by

urban farmers.

A strategy to expand the coverage of the sewerage

system to all parts of Nairobi should be developed

and implemented. At the same time efforts should

be made to improve the efficiency and effectiveness

in the maintenance of the sewerage system.

Develop standards and methodologies for protecting

stream and river banks during periods of increased

storm water quantity.

Controlling air pollution

In view of the limited knowledge on the status

and impact of air pollution to human health

and the environment, the following actions are

recommended. At the same time, ambient air

quality standards should be developed and an

air quality monitoring programme for the city

formulated and implemented.

Improving solid waste management

Formulate and implement an integrated solid

wastes management strategy, which should providemeasures for managing the entire life-cycle

including: controlling waste generation, collection,

minimization, transportation, re-cycling, treatment

and final disposal of wastes. In particular it should

provide for the:

Establishment of a regulatory system to

promote an effective and efficient public

and private enterprises for refuse collection

and disposal. This should also provide

for separation of wastes at source, waste

separation stations and an appropriate

institutional framework.

Creation and implementation of economic

incentives that are aimed at creating wealth

and improving socio-economic status by

supporting recycling and composting as

well as encouraging the development of

technologies for utilizing solid wastes, for

example in brick-making and cement-making;

Promotion of environmentally sound

technologies for use in the reduction, and re-use of solid wastes.

Support for studies on solid wastes collection

and treatment and or the introduction/ transfer

and assimilation of technologies that are



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environmentally-sound for use in the recycling,

treatment and utilization of solid wastes;

Creation of awareness among the city

residents on the harmful effects of solid wastes

and encouragement of public participation,

especially the participation of women,

youth, trade unions and other civil society

organisations in wastes recycling;

Establishment of wastes separations

stations and a supervisory network with an

administrative framework;

Improvement of access roads in the slum areas

to facilitate collection of solid wastes; and

Enforcement of the standards, regulations

and guidelines for solid waste management in

accordance with EMCA, 1999.

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Documents

City of Nairobi - Environment Outlook