2025 PEP Annual Conference - Kenya

The 2025 Annual Conference of the Partnership for Economic Policy (PEP) convened over 140 researchers, international experts, policymakers, and development actors from more than 30 countries in Nairobi, Kenya, from June 9 to 12. The event showcased Southern-led policy research advancing solutions in education, energy, agriculture, and health, with a special focus on inclusive green transitions.

This year’s event featured team members representing 37 projects supported by PEP and its partners. Participants engaged in rigorous project presentations, mentor meetings, and high-level policy discussions across six major research and capacity-building programs.

Policy Conference Focus: Green Transitions and Equity

The centrepiece of the week was the 2025 PEP Policy Conference, held on June 11 under the theme “Financing and Inclusivity in Green Energy Transitioning in the Global South.”

Dr. Simone Borghesi, Director of the Florence School of Regulation – Climate, delivered the keynote, noting:

“Carbon markets are not a silver bullet — but if properly designed and communicated, they can be effective, equitable, and sustainable tools for achieving global climate goals.”

He emphasized redistribution of revenues and global cooperation: “To build trust, CBAM revenues must be transparently reinvested into clean projects in the Global South.”

Panel I: Financing and Implementing Green Energy Infrastructure

Muhammad Zeshan (PIDE): “The informal economy is not a problem to be solved. It’s a reality we must build with.”

Prof. Adeola Adenikinju: “Access is not the same as affordability. We must finance the transition from oil wealth to internal development.”

Elizabeth Njenga (KenGen): “Power plants don’t exist in a vacuum. We must earn the trust of communities through genuine partnerships.”

Bhim Adhikari (IDRC): “Mitigation attracts money. Adaptation still struggles. We need economy-wide thinking and macro-financial alignment.”

Panel II: A Just Green Transition Rooted in Local Realities

Sim Sokcheng: “Farmers won’t adopt green tech if it’s not profitable. Carbon credits must be clear, fair, and accessible.”

Aisha Nanyiti: “Information gaps are the biggest barrier. We must meet farmers where they are, not where we want them to be.”

Joanes Atela: “Justice is not a technical concept — it’s a social one. Don’t pursue all pathways at once and lose your strategic edge.”

Ann Kingiri: “The green economy can create three times more jobs — but not if women and youth are locked out by systemic barriers.”