On November 16, 2021, The Ministry of Energy-Kenya and the British High Commission, Nairobi,in collaboration with the Strathmore University, launched the Kenya 2050 Calculator (Kenya Carbon Emission Reduction Tool – KCERT 2050) to help Kenya tackle climate change and meet its net zero emissions targets.
The UK International 2050 Calculator programme supports developing countries in accerating their sustainability and decarbonization agenda through the development of country specific versions of the 2050 Calculators. The Kenya 2050 Calculator will allow policy makers and other end-users answer fundamental questions on how far various sectors of the economy can decarbonize by reducing emissions whilst meeting energy needs.
Originally developed for use in the UK but now in use in over 30 countries, the 2050 Calculator is a uniquely open, transparent and interactive energy model that can be used by governments, stakeholders and the public to understand how to decarbonize a region or country, and to develop evidence based policies.
Speaking at the unveiling of the interactive platform, Mike Foster, Head of Prosperity and Climate at the British High Commission Nairobi, said:
“During his visit to Glasgow for the COP26 climate summit earlier this month, President Kenyatta announced Kenya would achieve 100% clean energy by 2030 and target net zero emissions by 2050. The Kenya 2050 Calculator launched today will help deliver this by enabling policy-makers understand different options to reduce emissions and make decisions backed by data.”
The interactive energy model tool will provide a model of Kenya’s energy system to explore pathways to decarbonization. It will answer fundamental questions towards tackling climate change:
- How far could renewables satisfy energy demand in the future and what could be the impact of individual behavior change?
- What quantity of fossil fuels will we need to import in the future?
- What is the impact of improved forest management on emissions?
- Which pathways could achieve the net zero emissions target and what is the impact of delaying action?
- Can we reduce emissions with high levels of economic growth and how much will this cost?
- How diverse will my energy supply be in 2050 and will supply meet demand?
“The launch of the Kenya 2050 Calculator comes at the opportune time when Kenya has been adversely affected by extreme effects of climate change. At the ministry, we are determined to work towards achieving net zero emissions and thus reducing our temperatures by 1.5 degrees,” said Eng. Issac Kiva, Renewable Energy Secretary, Ministry of Energy.
Facts about the 2050 Calculator
- The 2050 Calculator is an accessible, excel based, open-source multi-sector scenario tool that can be used inside and outside the planning process to explore options on energy security and emissions – for setting targets, developing long-term strategy, or exploring options for implementation.
- The 2050 calculator programme is led by the UK’s Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy delivered by a consortium of technical assistance partners including Mott MacDonald (Delivery Partner lead), Climact, Imperial College London (ICL) and Ricardo. Strathmore University is the downstream partner supporting the Ministry of Energy, Kenya.
- By 2020, over 10 countries had developed 2050 Climate Calculators with UK’s support. These countries are: Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Nigeria, South Africa, Thailand, Bangladesh, Vietnam and Indonesia.
- In 2020, the programme was awarded £3.1 million of UK Government funding to expand to five new countries – Kenya, Ethiopia, Turkey, Pakistan & Malaysia. Kenya is the first in East Africa. Kenya’s Climate Calculator Technical Assistance amounts to £173,000.
