Kenyan Communities Fighting Chinese Coal Station

Kenya risks busting its climate target with a Chinese-backed coal power plant in the middle of a sensitive coastal ecosystem.

Local communities are set to lodge an appeal against the environmental permit on Monday, fearing its impact on fishing and tourism.

Yet the government says the US$2 billion, 1,050MW Lamu plant is needed to meet soaring electricity demand in an affordable way. It is aiming to add 5GW of capacity by 2030.

The largest privately led infrastructure development in East and Central Africa, Lamu is expected to supply 20% of the country’s power when it comes online in 2020. While that fits in with the energy plan, the numbers don’t add up when it comes to keeping carbon emissions in check.

It will pump 8.8 megatonnes of CO2 equivalent into the atmosphere each year, equivalent to nearly two million cars hitting the road.

http://www.climatechangenews.com/2016/11/04/chinese-backed-coal-plant-jeopardises-kenya-climate-target/

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