Climate change is likely to damage transport infrastructure in Kenya through higher temperatures, heavy rainfall and more severe storms. Coastal roads, railways, airports and ports are vulnerable to sea level rise. These changes could increase the risk of delays, disruptions, damage, and failure across land-based, air, and marine transportation systems. Most transportation infrastructure being built now is expected to last for 50 years or longer. Therefore, it is important to understand how future climate might affect these investments in the coming decades. Kenya’s National Adaptation Plan recommends climate-proofing of transportation infrastructure.
At the same time, the transport sector is a significant source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that lead to climate change. Based on Kenya’s Second National Communication, the transportation sector directly accounted for about 11% of total GHG emissions in 2015. Transport emissions are increasing at a faster rate than other sectors – and are projected to rise to 15% of total national emissions in 2030.