Strategic Environmental Assessment for Sustainable Mining in Africa: A Kenyan Case Study

Abstract

ABSTRACT As global demand for mineral resources grows, resource‐rich countries are seeking tools to promote sustainable mining. Strategic environmental assessment (SEA) offers a promising framework, yet evidence of its effectiveness in Africa remains limited. This study evaluates the procedural effectiveness of Kenya's mining sector SEA, the first of its kind in East Africa. Using qualitative content analysis, the SEA report was assessed against international best‐practice criteria across preassessment, assessment, postassessment, and participation phases, and interpreted through a political‐economic mobilization (PEM) lens. The results reveal major procedural weaknesses, including an unclear sustainability vision, weak baseline data, limited consideration of alternatives and uncertainties, vague implementation guidance, and inadequate stakeholder engagement. These findings highlight the risks of SEA being reduced to a formal requirement rather than a strategic tool. The study underscores the need for more politically informed and strategically oriented SEA practices to support sustainable mining sector development in Kenya and similar contexts.