As the world confronts the pressing challenges of climate change, digitalization presents both opportunities and obstacles, particularly for low- and middle-income countries like Kenya. This new study explores the critical intersection of digitalization and climate action.
With digitalization rapidly advancing across Africa, driven by strategic policies and investments in digital infrastructure, the report emphasizes that addressing digital and climate agendas is essential for sustainable development. Ensuring a just and inclusive transition that benefits everyone requires addressing these agendas together.
Digital tools have already started to play an important role in addressing climate-related issues in sectors like agriculture, energy, and transport. For instance, the report highlights that digital technologies help farmers predict rainfall patterns, link them to markets, and access data that aids climate-smart practices. However, the digital transformation is not without challenges. Data security, digital literacy, and the environmental impact of technology infrastructure—including e-waste and energy consumption—highlight the complexities of combining digital and climate action agendas.
The report makes recommendations to policymakers, funders, and civil society organisations to bridge the gap between these two pressing issues. The study applies a climate justice lens to digital policy work so that stakeholders can ensure that digitalisation efforts contribute to climate resilience while mitigating potential inequalities or environmental harms.
This study is a critical resource for anyone looking to understand how Kenya—and countries like it—can harness the power of digitalisation to adapt to climate change while promoting equity and sustainability. Read the report here.
