A new report published by the Africa Climate Foundation has listed several economic sectors that are likely to take a hit from the ravaging effects of Climate Change.
The study titled From Climate to Resilience: Unpacking the Economic Impact of Climate Change in Kenya predicts that if the right interventions are not made; key sectors of the Kenyan economy including agriculture and tourism will experience shocks.
"The livestock sub-sector is expected to suffer significant losses due to heat stress from the projected increase in temperature," the report reads in parts.
The report further observes that the tourism sector in particular will be affected in a major way due to the impact on the Kenyan Coastal belt.
According to the report, Kenya will experience water scarcity if the current trajectory is maintained.
Water scarcity including the flow of water from Mt Kenya will have a major socio-economic effect on agricultural irrigation, hydropower, and sanitation.
The report further points out that climate change poses a particularly large threat to the Kenyan economy due to the dependence on natural resources such as water. It also points out that Kenya's exposure to climate-sensitive sectors is another challenge that the government needs to surmount.
Further, the report points out that Coast residents risk a disruption of their social and economic livelihoods due to increasing sea levels.
Farmers will incur losses due to the excess heat which will result in high prices of commodities like maize.
"Heavy rainfall and droughts lead to water acidification; changes in sea temperatures, and new circulation patterns that adversely affect fish habitats," read part of the report.
Hydropower in the country will also be affected due to the projected increase in severe drought and higher evaporation rates.
Despite the challenges the country is experiencing, the report points out that Kenya leads the East African region in combating the effects of climate change.
The report makes several recommendations to help the country overcome the problem including; ensuring effective water management.
Other recommendations include; the use of agricultural insurance to manage the risks, more research on the effects, and mobilizing funds to deal with effects among other measures.
On Monday, November 13, Kenyans participated in a nationwide tree-planting exercise, geared at increasing the country's forest cover which is in turn expected to help the country deal with the effects of climate change.
