‘The only possible transition is a just transition’: Interview with WEF’s Clemence Schmid

During the 11th Our Ocean Conference held in the coastal city of Mombasa, the Kenyan government, together with the World Economic Forum’s Global Plastic Action Partnership (GPAP) and UNDP Kenya, formally launched the Kenya National Plastic Action Partnership (NPAP Kenya).

At least 14 million tons of plastic end up in the ocean every year making up 80% of all marine debris found in surface waters and deep-sea sediments.

Kenya faces considerable challenges with plastic pollution, particularly in urban centers and along its coastline. Plastics account for 20% of the 22,000 tonnes of waste generated daily in Kenya, according to estimates. Only 27% of the plastic waste is collected, of which 8% is recycled and the remaining 19% disposed of in unsanitary landfills or dumpsites. The plastic waste not properly collected and managed often ends up in rivers and the ocean. It disrupts ecosystems, endangers wildlife, and impacts tourism and fisheries.

In 2017, Kenya introduced a ban on the use, manufacture and importation of single-use plastic bags. In 2020, the ban was extended to single-use plastics in protected areas.

NPAP Kenya will help accelerate the country’s transition to a circular plastics economy, according to Clemence Schmid, Director, Global Plastic Action Partnership (GPAP) at the World Economic Forum (WEF).

The GPAP launched by the WEF in 2018 is a multi-stakeholder initiative to tackle plastic pollution and support the transition towards a circular economy. It works with partner countries to generate data-driven insights, support national strategies and mobilize action across the plastics value chain.

There are 25 National Plastic Action Partnerships established globally, including eight in Africa. Kenya joined Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania, Senegal, Angola, Zambia and Gabon in implementing similar frameworks.

Mongabay sat down with Schmid on the sidelines of the 11th Our Ocean conference to understand what the Plastic Action Partnership is trying to achieve in Kenya.

Mongabay: How significant is the threat from plastic pollution to marine biodiversity?

Clemence Schmid: So, 80% of the marine pollution is plastic pollution. And we know it’s driving many different environmental, economic and health issues, just as one small example, coral reefs. When plastic debris is entangled in coral reefs, the reefs are 20 times more likely to develop disease, leading to severe ecosystem deterioration. But when it’s in the sea, it’s too late to act on plastic pollution. The best we can do is a band-aid approach: try to collect them without further deterioration.

Mongabay: What was WEF’s role in putting together Kenya’s National Plastic Action Plan Partnership?

Clemence Schmid: The Kenya National Plastic Action Partnership is a local chapter of a global initiative, which is called the Global Plastic Action Partnership. We launched this in partnership with the Kenyan government, whose leadership and vision aim to tackle marine pollution not only at sea but also through upstream solutions.

As a first step, the partnership will support the development of a National Plastic Action Roadmap that identifies priority actions, investment opportunities and implementation pathways to reduce plastic pollution, strengthen resource efficiency, support green industrialization and create jobs.

The partnership will also develop a Gender, Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) Report to help ensure that the benefits of the circular economy transition are shared broadly across society. This includes recognizing and supporting the roles of women, youth and informal waste workers, who are often on the front lines of plastic waste management and critical to building inclusive and resilient circular systems.

We intend to bring together governments, the private sector, civil society, the informal sector and academia to assess the situation and jointly define the solution.

The second piece is really about how we build this bridge between the local work and ambition and the global conversation. The strength of the network of the 25 [GPAP] countries helps the conversation flow both ways.

Mongabay: Plastics are also linked to greenhouse gas emissions. How can Kenya’s efforts to reduce plastic waste contribute to its broader climate goals and commitments under the Paris Agreement?

Clemence Schmid: This is a great question. We know the plastic value chain at large drives significant emissions. And we also know it is important to tackle them to achieve the net-zero goal. The National Plastic Action Roadmap will provide concrete recommendations to reduce plastic pollution. And as part of this work, we’ll also be able to give direction on the amount of greenhouse gas emissions that will be generated.

So, this is from a holistic perspective. We are not just tackling plastic pollution in isolation, but we are also able to quantify the positive effect it will have on reaching the Paris Agreement.

Mongabay: It’s estimated that the circular economy can create 11 million jobs across Africa. What opportunities do you see for coastal communities, particularly for youth, women, and informal waste workers?

Clemence Schmid: The work that the NPAP is looking at as a transition towards a circular economy includes the informal sector and the informal waste pickers from the get-go. Because we know the only possible transition is a just transition. So how do we also ensure that those perspectives, opinions, and needs are taken into account as we think about this transition? Through the GPAP network and its evidence-based approach, NPAP Kenya is also positioned to attract investment, strengthen waste management infrastructure, and expand safe recycling and reuse systems, all grounded in Kenya’s national development priorities. There is a connection between ocean protection, climate action, and economic transformation, because a just transition to a circular economy could generate up to 11 million jobs and a $546 billion annual market opportunity across Africa by 2030, while strengthening resource efficiency, industrial competitiveness, and economic resilience. This partnership also supports Kenya’s ambition to strengthen domestic manufacturing, attract investment and reinforce its position as a regional hub for sustainable innovation and green industrialization.

Mongabay: In terms of the implementation, what kinds of resources will become available through this kind of partnership?

Clemence Schmid: We are not an organization like the World Bank or other institutions, but through the work that the NPAP is doing to bring all actors together, we can provide more opportunities for investments that are going to come from all different places, whether it’s the private sector, whether it’s Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) or whether it is the government.

Banner image: Community members collect plastic waste during a beach cleanup organized by the non-profit ️Coastal & Marine Resource Development (COMRED) on Kenya’s coast. Image courtesy of COMRED.

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Cite this article

Jackson Ambole Okata (2026). ‘The only possible transition is a just transition’: Interview with WEF’s Clemence Schmid. Mongabay Conservation news. DOI: https://doi.org/10.66709/news-322752