Vincent Onyango

Over the years I developed both academic and professional experience in the environmental field. After being awarded a BSc in forestry, I worked in the “for-profit” forestry sector in Kenya, before switching to “not-for-profit” community-based conservation forestry. Here I worked for an international NGO, focusing particularly on capacity building and forestry for income-generation initiatives. I then pursued postgraduate studies in Environmental Resources Management, specialising with a PhD in Environmental Assessment (EA) tools. I have since done research exploring and comparing EA approaches, key patterns and trends in Europe and in developing countries. I am currently a lecturer in Spatial Planning with interests in the wider field of environmental planning and management for sustainability. 

Academic:

1992 - BSc (Hons), Forestry principles and practice, Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya

2002 – Pg. Dip, Participatory Community Development, PREMESE Institute, Nairobi, Kenya

2004 – MSc, Environmental Resources Management, Brandenburg University of Technology, Cottbus, Germany

2010 – PhD, Environmental Resources Management, Brandenburg University of Technology, Cottbus, Germany

2011-2012 - Post-doctoral research,University of Liverpool,UK: “Comparative evaluation of UK and Indian EIA systems and their potential to integrate health considerations”; Formulating a Territorial Impact Assessment methodology under the framework of the ESPON 2013 Programme, School of Environment, University of Liverpool.

Professional:

Associate member, IEMA (Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment)

Member, IAIA (International Association for Impact Assessment)

Fellow, AGGN (African Good Governance Network)

My research interests fall within three inter-related yet distinct strands: (1) environmental governance; (2) sustainability; (3) environmental assessment tools and processes, looking at both developed and developing countries (particularly Sub-Saharan Africa):

• How can we (re-)conceptualise environmental planning and governance frameworks to deliver sustainable planning decisions?
• Caught between competing values of ‘multi-pluralist and divergent needs’: how can environmental planning assist local communities in the quest for sustainability?
• How can issues of effectiveness in EA be approached?

Selected publications:

Edited book: Schmidt, M., Onyango, V., Wiegleb, G, Palekhov, D. (eds) (2011), Implementing Environmental and Resource Management. Springer Verlag, Berlin-Heidelberg.

Published book chapters

Onyango, V. (2011) ‘SEA as a strategic tool to deliver a framework for sustainable biofuels in Kenya’, In Schmidt, M., Onyango, V., Wiegleb, G, Palekhov, D.. (eds), Implementing Environmental and Resource Management, Springer Verlag,Berlin.

Fongwa, E., Onyango, V. and Gnauck, A. (2011), ’Review of Future Energy Supply and Targets for Climate Change: The Idea of Ecosystem Services‘, In Schmidt, M., Onyango, V, Wiegleb, G, Palekhov, D. (eds), Implementing Environmental and Resource Management, Springer Verlag, Berlin.

Onyango, V. and Schmidt, M. (2008) ‘Poverty and disease remediation in Millennium Development Goals – time for Kenya to set Standards and Thresholds?’, In Schmidt M, Glasson J, Emmelin L, Helbron H, (eds), Standards and Thresholds for impact assessment, Springer-Verlag, Berlin.

Onyango, V. and Namango, S. (2005) ‘SEA needs in Kenya’, In Schmidt M., João E and Albrecht E (eds), Implementing Strategic Environmental Assessment, Springer-Verlag,Berlin.

Published journal articles

Onyango, V. and Gazzola, P. (2011) Regional spatial planning as a tool for addressing land injustices and mitigating land clashes: the case of Kenya Regional: The case of Kenya, International Development Planning Review, 33 (2) 147 - 167.

Onyango, V. and Schmidt, M. (2007) ‘Towards a strategic environment assessment framework in Kenya: highlighting areas for further scrutiny’, Management of Environmental quality, Vol 18:3, 309-328.

Onyango, V.(2005) SEA in Kenya: a sui generis approach?’ EAAIA (Eastern Africa Association for Impact Assessment), Vol 14.pp 3-4