Adoption of the green concept in Nairobi for biodiversity conservation, environmental management and sustainable development goals implementation

Abstract

This study dwelt on the role adoption of green concept plays in environmental management and implementation of sustainable development goals in Kenya. This was studied using the case of Nairobi County. The theoretical framework was based on institutional and resource based theory where coercive push and resource benefits for society were expected to influence adoption of green concept. The conceptual framework, a design that assumed actors (society and institutions) willingness to adopt green concept was dependent on existing governance instruments and their level of compliance, public perceptions and awareness level, and public knowledge, attitudes and practices. Data was collected using surveys conducted via semi structured questionnaires and key informant interviews. Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model was used to evaluate how determinants of human perceptions, decisions and activities related to implementation of green concept in environmental management and implementation of sustainable development goals. The constructs of the determinant frontier of the DEA model took into account the impacts of the decisions on people’s knowledge, attitudes and practices on governance instruments as they affected adoption of the green concept. Qualitative and quantitative questions were used. The indicators were weighted based on their importance in adoption of green concept and significance tested using chi-square statistic at (P≤0.05) significance level. Respondents’ understanding of green concept in environmental management was significantly low (33.0±2.11) although majority seemed to be aware of the existence of governance instruments regulating environmental management (56.7±1.62). Majority also neither knew the implication (64.9±1.90) nor complied (69.1±2.11) with the governance instruments in environmental management. However, 35.1% of respondents neither knew the implication of the legal instrument nor complied with them. Majority of the respondents xvi (50.7±1.44) agreed compliance to governance instruments would enhance waste management but majority were on contrary view on use of clean energy (71.7±1.66) and its role in industries (64.9±1.90). Majority of the respondents (57.6±1.36) indicated that lack of awareness affected compliance with governance instruments but agreed benefits could result from compliance with governance instruments in environment management. Majority were willing to comply with the governance instruments after awareness creation, civic education and strict enforcement of the instruments. The respondents’ knowledge (33.0%±2.11), attitudes (30.4%±1.56) and practice (26.3%±0.08) on implementation of SDGs through green concept in environmental management was significantly low. About sixty (60.7%±1.24) thought SDG 1 would be enhanced through attributes that protect the environment while (52.5%±1.59) attributed implementation of SDG 3, 9 to preserved environment. Again, majority of them (57.6±1.36) perceived SDG 7 would be implemented through use of clean energy devices. However, it’s only the minority that thought SDG 13 would be implemented through conservation of the environment (24.1±1.89). Majority of respondents were of the view that increased awareness (78.2%±2.61), improved institutional capacity (58.7%±3.01), enhanced enforcement (83.2%±1.77), and individual aptness (61.7%±3.04) would enhance implementation of the SDGs through adoption of green concept in environmental management. This implied Kenyans had differences on levels of understanding of the green concept and its application in biodiversity conservation but were practicing the concept and also were willing to adopt the same in biodiversity conservation. This serves to providing evidence to inform policy decisions that support implementation of governance strategies for the adoption of green concept to sustain biodiversity-conservation.