World Bank’s climate innovation centre opens in Kenya

The World Bank on Wednesday officially opened climate innovation center (CIC), a new business hub for African climate technology entrepreneurs expected to unleash the country’s green business potential. The bank’s Country Director for Kenya Johannes Zutt said during the launch of the center in Nairobi that the center will boost locally sourced green technologies in the Africa region.Zutt said the successful implementation of the center will establish a model for six other climate innovation centers that will be launched in the near future.“Kenya’s CIC aims to help the government of Kenya to promote green growth, to protect the environment, and to create jobs,” Zutt said.He said CIC will help Kenya to address the challenges of climate change, by finding ways to reduce carbon emissions and to increase climate resilience, especially in energy, agriculture and water supply.Zutt said the advanced facility, will offer financing and other services to a growing network of climate innovators and entrepreneurs.He said the center is expected to generate 4,600 direct and over 24,000 indirect jobs over the next decade, while also leveraging some 10 million U.S. dollars in private sector investment.Kenneth Ndua, founder of start-up Fawandu, is an entrepreneur who is developing a domestically produced, high-efficient stove that simultaneously cooks and sanitizes water through boiling.“I want to provide clean water and cooking to 24,000 households, and create 550 jobs, 400 of which will be for women. The support of the CIC would help me to commercialize and rollout of our products at the national level,” he said.The first of its kind in the world, the CIC is expected to support up to 70 sustainable climate technology ventures in the first five years.“The CIC will contribute to Kenya’s transformation to a middle income country in line with the government’s Vision 2030 strategy, “ said Alex Alusa, Advisor on Climate Issues in the Office of Kenya’s Prime Minister.“It will enable small and medium enterprises in Kenya and the region to achieve the essential technological advancement and catalyze innovative technology,” said Alusa.