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MOMBASA
CITIES AND CLIMAtE CHANGE INITIATIVE
KENYA
City Overview
Mombasa, Kenya’s second largest city, is home to the
country’s only seaport, the Kilindini Harbour. It plays
an important role in the country’s economy because
commercial imports and exports of land-locked countries
such as Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Congo and even parts
of Tanzania transit through the city. Mombasa became the
major port city of pre-colonial Kenya in the Middle Ages
and was used to trade with other African port cities, Persia,
Arab traders, Yemen and even India.
Climate Change Risks and Vulnerability
Mombasa’s high level of vulnerability results from its low
altitude, especially the coastal plain covering between 4
to 6km wide and lying between sea level and about 45m
above sea level. This low lying area is likely to submerge
should the sea levels rise. At the same time, there will
also be large areas that may be rendered uninhabitable or
agriculturally unexploitable due to water logging and plant
deaths due to salt stress, especially the peri-urban space
where agriculture is practiced. Sandy beaches and other
features including historical and cultural monuments such
as Fort Jesus, several beach hotels, industries, the shipdocking ports and human settlements could be negatively
affected by sea level rise.
The high average temperatures and humidity are already
approaching intolerable limits and can be uncomfortable
at times. An increase in temperatures and humidity could
create health related problems such as heat stress both on
land and in the ocean, leading to ecosystem disruptions,
migration and possible extinction of various species of
fauna, flora and micro-organisms.
In addition anthropogenic factors, particularly unplanned
settlements and structures are also contributing to the city’s
increased level of vulnerability to climate change impacts.
Area: 295 km2; Land: 230 km2; Water: 65 km2
Population: 707,400 (Kenya Population and Housing
Census 1999)
Economy: Tourism and Trade
Governance: Decentralized (Municipal Council made
up of 35 wards)
History: Mombasa was visited by famous Moroccan
traveller Ibn Battuta (1331), the Chinese fleet of Zheng
He (1415), and Vasco da Gama in 1498.
Role in the Country: Major trade centre and largest
sea-port in East Africa.
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Lake Victori
Other potential impacts of sea level rise include increased
vulnerability to coastal storm damage and flooding; seashore erosion; salt water intrusion into estuaries and
freshwater aquifers and springs; changes in sedimentation
patterns; decreased light penetration to benthic organisms
leading to loss of food for various marine fauna; loss of
coral reefs leading to loss of biodiversity, fisheries and
recreational opportunities; and increase in the height of
waves.
Mombasa, Kenya
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KENYA
INDIAN OCEAN
Mombasa
UNITED REPUBLIC OF
TANZANIA
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Based on Map No. 4187 Rev. 1 UNITED NATIONS, June 2004
The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or
acceptance by the United Nations
Climate indicators
Rainfall: 1,059 mm, peaking in April and May
Mean annual temperature: 26.4oC
Relative humidity: 65% at noon
© Orindi V. A. and Ochieng A. O.
THE NATIONAL CONTEXT: KENYA
Kenya’s economy being mainly natural resource-based is
highly vulnerable to climate change and variability. The
economy has recently suffered from climate change related
disasters, which include droughts, floods and mudslides.
Such events have caused damages to private property,
loss of economic opportunities and life. In addition, the
country’s main source of energy, hydro-power is seriously
threatened by climate change. The cost of the 1997-8 and
2000 El Nino - related floods and El Nino related drought
respectively cost the country about 15% of GDP for three
consecutive years. Some studies estimate these damages
at KSh.66 billion for 1997-8 and KSh. 52 billion KShs for
2000.
development efforts including its ability to attain the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015. In the
draft overall National Environment Policy of 2008 it is
recommended to develop a National Climate Change
Strategy covering mitigation and adaption measures. Further
it is recommended to establish a National Climate Change
Office in order to coordinate national and international
activities on climate change
The country has limited water resources and climate
variability (floods/droughts) has direct impact on water
quantity and quality. This in conjunction with sea level rise
and land degradation is anticipated to cause serious socioeconomical impacts.
Therefore, if not proactively addressed, climate change
is likely to adversely affect the country’s sustainable
UN-HABITAT launched the Sustainable Urban Development
Network (SUD-Net), an innovative network of global
partners, promoting inter-disciplinary approaches to
sustainable urban development.
The Cities in Climate Change Initiative (CCCI) is the flagship
programme of SUD-Net. The initiative aims to strengthen
the climate change response of cities and local governments.
Cities are key drivers of climate change due to their high
energy consumption, land use, waste generation and other
activities that result in the release of the vast majority of
greenhouse gases. At the same time, it is cities, and in
particular the urban poor, in the developing world, that are
most vulnerable to and have the least resilience against,
for example, storms, floods, and droughts. Cities need to
respond to Climate Change by cutting their greenhouse
gas emissions (mitigation). The negative impact of climate
change seems however unavoidable and for most cities in
developing countries adaptation to the risks is a must.
The Cities in Climate Change initiative brings together
local and national governments, academia, NGOs and
international organizations with the aim to alert cities to
the action they can take and by strengthening capacities of
cities and their partners to respond to Climate Change. The
key components of the Cities in Climate Change initiative
are:
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Advocacy, policy dialogue and policy change
Tool development and tool application
Piloting climate change mitigation and adaptation
measures
Knowledge management and dissemination, through,
amongst others, the UN-HABITAT partner universities
and the partnership with UN-HABITAT’s Local
Government Training Institutes Network.
Initially four cities, Esmeraldas in Ecuador, Kampala in
Uganda, Maputo in Mozambique and Sorsogon in the
Philippines participated in the Cities in Climate Change
Initiative as key partner cities. An additional 5 cities from
Africa Bobo Dioulasso in Burkina Faso, Kigali in Rwanda,
Mombasa in Kenya, Saint Louis in Senegal and Walvis Bay
in Namibia have joined the initiative since July 2009. Cities
in 9 Asian Countries are preparing to join CCCI.
For more information, contact:
UN-Habitat Global Division
Urban Environmental Planning Branch
P.O. Box 30030, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: +254 20 7625404 • Fax: +254 20 7623715
Email: [email protected] • www.unhabitat.org/sudnet
February 2010
Regional Office for Africa and Arab States UN-Habitat
P.O. Box 30030, GPO Nairobi 00100, Kenya
Tel.: +254 20 762 4717 • Fax: +254 20 762 3904
Email: [email protected] • www.unhabitat.org
© Kenya Meteorological Department
Design, Layout and Printing: United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) Publishing Services Section, ISO 14001:2004-certified
UN-HABITAT’S CITIES IN CLIMATE CHANGE INITIATIVE
© Orindi V. A. and Ochieng A. O.