Synthesis Report: An Assessment of the Status of Blue Economy Sectors in Kenya

United Nations 7 months ago

The Nairobi Convention Secretariat partnered with the Maritime Centre of the University of Nairobi to assess the status of sectors that contribute to the blue economy in Kenya. The objective of the assessment was to provide an overview on the contribution,values and potential of the various maritime sectors of the blue economy, and ultimately providea baseline report and other outputs to support the development of Kenya’s national blue economy strategy.  Further, the overview will provide recommendations and policy options on the sectors with the highest potential, together with criteria for prioritisation both in the short and long-term, forthe Government of Kenya to pursue in the development of its strategy for a blue economy.  The process leading up to this assessment report has been collaborative with input from key sector experts underthe overall guidance and coordination of the Maritime Centre of the University of Nairobi and the Nairobi Convention Secretariat. In addition to the expected benefits to the Government of Kenya, the process followed in this assessment will provide guidance to other countries of the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region that wish to undertake a similar exercise. The process may also provide valuable guidance to Regional Economic Communities (RECs) that also wish to further the development of the blue economy among their member states.
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The launch of the Global Circularity Protocol at COP30 has defined a pivotal shift in sustainable construction. Developed by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and the One Planet Network, the framework introduces a measurable standard for circular economy in construction, giving companies a consistent method for assessing material reuse and lifecycle performance. This approach strengthens whole life carbon assessment by linking embodied carbon calculations with resource efficiency in construction and end-of-life reuse, instilling clear accountability for embodied carbon in materials across supply chains.

The UK’s planning approval for Cory’s Riverside waste-to-energy facility with integrated carbon capture and storage highlights the transition towards low carbon construction materials and carbon neutral infrastructure. By combining energy recovery and carbon capture, the project contributes directly to reducing the carbon footprint of construction and aligns with net zero carbon and whole life carbon targets. It reflects the broader aim of achieving net zero whole life carbon through low carbon design tied to measurable life cycle cost and lifecycle assessment outcomes.

Digital systems are also reshaping environmental sustainability in construction. The Green Digital Action Hub, initiated at COP30, focuses on lowering the energy demand of smart city technologies and data-driven sustainable building design. As artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things are embedded into green construction and sustainable architecture, future BREEAM and BREEAM v7 benchmarks may place greater emphasis on eco-design for buildings, sustainable material specification, and carbon footprint reduction through efficient computational modelling.

Growing unease over carbon markets underscores the importance of transparent lifecycle assessment within sustainable building practices. The shift from offset-based carbon accounting to verifiable decarbonising the built environment signals the maturity of sustainable design, where carbon neutrality depends on traceability and disclosure through environmental product declarations (EPDs).

These developments indicate a fundamental progression from aspirational rhetoric to enforceable standards. Sustainable building design and low carbon building strategies are coalescing with circular construction strategies to redefine environmental impact of construction. The industry’s readiness to adopt robust frameworks for eco-friendly construction, green building materials, and renewable building materials will determine the credibility of future sustainable urban development worldwide.

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