Climate Change Vulnerability and Impacts Analysis in Kenya

Abstract

In this paper, observed climate change impacts in the country were collated and tabulated to provide the baseline information on the prevalent climate hazards associated with the impacts. Available climate and socio-economic datasets for the country were then subjected to the GeoClim software analyses in order to generate the spatial patterns of exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity parameters. Composite layers of these parameters were overlayed to generate the vulnerability map. Finally, effectiveness of the country’s existing policies and capacities in addressing the vulnerabilities has been evaluated. Results have revealed that the entire country is vulnerable. However, the Northern parts as well as the Southern tip of the coastal strip are the most vulnerable. Flood and drought hazards result in the greatest impacts to the Kenyan society. Significant gaps and weaknesses have been observed in the existing policies and capacities which render them inadequate to effectively address the vulnerability. It is concluded that the country urgently requires a raft of measures to address the current and future vulnerabilities presented by climate change.