UoN collaborates with Copenhagen Business School on Environmental Maritime Governance Research

On July 29th, 2023, a delegation from the University of Nairobi visited Copenhagen, Denmark, for a ten-day excursion   aimed at participating in a collaborative research endeavor centered around Multi-Disciplinary Environmental Maritime Governance (EMG-K). The partnership was established between the University of Nairobi's Center for Advanced Studies in Environmental Law and Policy (CASELAP) and the Copenhagen Business School (CBS).

Funded by Danida, the three-year EMG-K research initiative delves into Kenya's involvement in the Greenhouse Gas Emission (GHG) reduction negotiations of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). This project also investigates the enforcement of both international and local shipping emission regulations within Kenya on a national level.

During the visit, the Kenyan team, consisting of Prof Collins Odote, Prof Richard Mulwa, Dr Elvin Nyukuri, and PhD students Clarice Wambua and Mwathi Kitonga, convened with Prof Rene Taudal Poulsen, Prof Hans Krause Hansen, and Dr Hannah Elliott from the Copenhagen Business School and held open discussions and knowledge sharing among the combined research team.

Topics discussed encompassed various aspects of maritime policy-making within the IMO. This included a deep dive into the IMO's revised 2023 GHG strategy for international shipping, along with ethnographic examinations of the ongoing negotiations. Additionally, discourse extended to the practical implementation, compliance, and enforcement of Annex VI of the MARPOL Convention. Preliminary findings regarding port practices aimed at reducing maritime emissions in Kenya were also deliberated upon.

Thee fruitful conversations generated opportunities for further research both in Kenya and Denmark. They also provided clarity in shaping the PhD research proposals put forth by the two students involved. Moreover, the discussions culminated in commitments to collaborate on authoring various manuscripts for publication, enhancing the collective knowledge in the field.

As a memorable highlight of the visit, the team took the opportunity to explore the Maritime Museum of Denmark, delving into the rich maritime history of the country. At the conclusion of this research visit, all participants within the project reaffirmed their dedication to advancing the boundaries of understanding in the realm of environmental maritime governance.