KEBS challenges all to adhere to Environmental Standards - Capital Business
Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Bernard Njiraini, the managing director of Kenya Bureau of Standards /FILE

Top Story

KEBS challenges all to adhere to Environmental Standards

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 15 -Individuals, corporations and governments must collaborate and adhere to standards that protect the environment or risk being parties in causing catastrophic damage to the planet. 

The remarks were made by the Managing Director, of the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) Lt Col (Rtd.) Bernard Njiraini, during the World Standards Day celebrations. This year’s theme is ‘Protecting the planet with Standards’.

“Climate change is one of the greatest threats to Kenya’s socio-economic wellbeing. As a developing country whose economy is dependent on climate-sensitive sectors, such as agriculture, water, energy and tourism, we must take action to protect our environment in order to end poverty in all its forms and promote sustainable development through application of standards for quality life.” Lt Col (Rtd.) Njiraini stressed.

So far, KEBS has developed and adopted over 1100 environmental standards aimed at mitigating the impact of human activities on the environment. These include standards that promote renewable energy and energy efficiency through incorporation of aspects of Minimum Energy Performances (MEPS) for appliances and devices such as lamps, refrigerators, air conditioners, computers, and heavy electric motors. Efforts have also been stepped up to increase water use efficiency through monitoring, reducing wastage, reusing, and recycling it.

The country also strives to enforce air quality standards by providing tolerance limits and monitoring emissions discharged by factories, refineries, boilers, and power plants. Soil quality standards provide guidelines on classification of contaminated sites, remediation – which is removal of pollutants and contaminants – disposal, treatment, reuse of remediated soil.

Other standards provide guidelines for tracking greenhouse gas emissions and radiation.

“We expect that these standards will provide regulations for prioritizing adaptation and enhanced climate resilience practices as they provide solutions to technical challenges facing initiatives to counter the negative effects of climate change,” observed the KEBS MD.

The standards body is also in the process of adopting the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) guidelines that will support the realization of the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) including clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production, life on land, life below water and climate action.

Speaking during the event, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Industrialization, Trade and Enterprise Development,  Betty C. Maina (CBS), reiterated the Government’s commitment to implement mechanisms and measures aimed at achieving low carbon climate resilient development, in a manner that prioritizes adaptation.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

“The government is currently implementing the National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP) 2018-2022 that outlines initiatives that foster movement towards the achievement of Kenya’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), including reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 30% and increasing the country’s forest cover to at least 10% of the land area by 2030,” said Maina.

Advertisement

More on Capital Business

Kenya

NAIROBI, March 28 (Xinhua) — Kenya on Thursday launched the national research repository for all research output undertaken in the country. Beatrice Inyangala, principal...

World

TOKYO, March 29 (Xinhua) — The unemployment rate in Japan increased in February from a month earlier, the government said in a report on...

Investments in Africa

NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 28 – BURN Manufacturing (BURN), a carbon project developer, has announced the completion of a follow-on carbon project investment from Key...

World

LONDON, March 28 (Xinhua) — The gross domestic product (GDP) of the United Kingdom (UK) fell by an unrevised 0.3 percent in the last...

Top Story

NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 28 – A total of 28 insurance companies dominate the list of abuse of buyer power cases in Kenya, the latest...

Aviation

NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 28 – Skyward Express on Thursday unveiled its first direct flights from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to Moi International Airport,...

Kenya

NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 28 – Asset finance solutions provider Watu Credit has welcomed the publication of the draft national e-Mobility Policy. The company has...

Kenya

NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 28 – The climate crusader Pan Africa Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) has faulted the United Nations’ Santiago Network on Loss and...