Linking Adaptation and Mitigation Toward a Resilient and Robust Infrastructure Sector in Kenya
Springer Nature
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Abstract: Sustainable city is an oxymoron to many especially in developing nations where the ever extending urban fabric has consequently degraded natural habitats, altered species composition, changed energy flows, and immensely affected biogeochemical cycles. This dims the vision of meeting the present needs with a nondecreasing level of well-being while not compromising that of the future generations to meet theirs. Nairobi as other cities in peer nations is associated with socioeconomic vulnerabilities as well as visible and “invisible” ecological problems such as pollution, climate change, spatial competition, dependency in natural capital use, and congestion. Nevertheless, this is uniquely both a problem and a solution. Nairobi has grown from a small railway station at the turn of the twentieth century to one of Africa’s largest cities. With this growth, comes an oversized ecological footprint and complex challenges of stresses and shocks. Infrastructure development in developing nations is gaining momentum. It is one of the development indicators and a major contributor to the GDP. However, it is very vulnerable financially and functionally to extreme weather events such as intense and prolonged periods of rainfall, inundation, low retreating rates of flood waters, increased temperatures, and unpredictable wind patterns. This study sought to establish the level of integration of adaptation and mitigation measures to climate change in selected infrastructure projects. It further evaluates the performance of key action plans, projects, and efforts made to enhance resilience to climate change. The study supports the integration of broad investment flows instead of the project-by-project approach.