The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Kenya chapter, led by Chairperson Eng. Patrick Obath and Director Mr. Julius Opio joined other stakeholders during the launch of The Green Village, a sustainable initiative by The Village Market and Tribe Hotels Group.  The event was held on 9^th January 2023 at the Trademark Hotel, Nairobi and graced by the Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Forestry Hon. Roselinda Soipan Tuya.

The Green Village initiative aims to contribute to Kenya’s agenda for a cleaner and greener ecosystem by tackling climate change through sustainable projects, such as the adaptation of solar energy, E-mobility, recycling of plastic, and the operation of a highly advanced sewage treatment plant by the group.

In her keynote address, Hon Tuya said that the Government of Kenya has developed a draft long-term greenhouse gas emissions and resilience strategy for 2050 which outlines specific actions that will be required to achieve a 32% reduction of emissions by 2030. “We are therefore committed as a country to reduce the potential impacts of climate change, we are making efforts to create our coping capacity and resilience to national hazards as we strengthen disaster risk management strategies,” she noted.

The Cabinet Secretary also noted that through the 15 billion tree planting campaign, the government aims to grow 50,000 hectares of bamboo each year for the next 10 years in collaboration with partners like the Village Market Group and Tribe Hotel Group.  She also acknowledged the efforts towards creating green jobs through activities such as making bamboo bags and brushes which fall into the Kenya Kwanza manifesto of the Hustler Nation.  

Speaking during the event, Eng. Obath noted that ICC Kenya will soon be setting up an Environment and Energy Commission that will look into environmental and renewable energy issues to promote a sustainable economy through initiatives like the development of electric vehicles.  Mr Opiyo, on his part, noted that Kenya is a special country with a lot of opportunities, particularly when it comes to green initiatives and projects. He outlined areas of interest for ICC Kenya including green power installation and better distribution of power for efficiency and electric vehicles, among others.

The event saw the launch of the first electric vehicles for Trademark Hotel guest transfers aimed at helping to reduce guests’ carbon footprint during their visit. The environmentally -friendly vehicles do not emit pollutants hence contributing to improved air quality in the city. The initial launch comprised four Nissan Leaf fully electric vehicles with an electric motor and battery as the source of power, instead of an internal combustion engine.

The Director of Tribe Hotels Group Dr Manish Shah noted that the Village Market and Tribe Hotels Group said that in recent times, there has been an increased demand for sustainable tourism products. He added that travellers are increasingly becoming conscious of the environmental impact associated with their travel and therefore seeking to associate with brands that are mindful of ecological impacts. “We are excited to be able to offer a quiet, clean, smart and safe climate-friendly mode of transport to our guests,” said Dr Manish. He also said that the Group has already taken action to plant over 300,000 bamboo seedlings for a greener Kenya towards Vision 2030.

The event was attended by government officials, Ambassadors and High Commissioners, representatives of the UN agencies, and the private sector, among others.