The County Government of Kilifi is leading efforts to conserve the environment by encouraging residents to reduce charcoal use and turn to briquettes as a clean source of energy. Through the Voices for Just Climate Action initiative, birthed from the signing of a five-year partnership with the Clean Cooking Association of Kenya, the County has donated briquette-making machines to its seven sub-counties. Briquettes have a higher thermal calorific value of (4000 Kcal/Kg) and lower ash content compared to charcoal. It is because of this reason that the County Government first started the initiative with Magarini and Ganze sub-counties, which experience high rates of deforestation and charcoal burning.
Kilifi County is among the top ten Counties leading with the highest forest cover in the country. This is due to good climatic conditions favouring the growth of certain types of trees and fewer deforestation activities. To conserve forests, the County is creating awareness on the importance of tree planting and the impacts of deforestation both at the local and global levels. County residents are becoming more aware of the effects of deforestation on climate change, among them drought and famine. The Kilifi County Government donated briquette-making machines to different youth polytechnics from all sub-counties. Afterwards, interested youth members were taught how to operate and maintain the machines, and where to get raw materials and better ways to improve the quality of briquettes. Currently, the youths are using coconut husks as the main raw material. To sustain the project, the County Government has linked the initiative with different microfinance institutions that offer loans to more youth towards buying more machines and raw materials. This initiative has not only created job opportunities for youth, but also empowered them with marketable skills. The County is learning how to use seaweed as an alternative raw material for better-quality briquettes, from India.