The World Standards Day, celebrated annually on October 14, highlights the critical role of standards in promoting global trade, driving innovation and supporting sustainability. This year’s theme, “The Vision of a Shared Future for a Better World: Standards for the Changing Climate”, focuses on the essential role standards play at all levels—national, regional and international—to address climate change and support sustainable development.
This theme emphasises the importance of collaborative efforts and shared responsibility for individuals, across industries, governments and societies. Together, we can create a future where standards help to mitigate the effects of climate change while fostering resilience and innovation for a more sustainable and equitable world.
It is in this aspect that the Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) seeks to advance standardisation initiatives. The harmonisation of practices, norms, procedures and technologies—anchored in standards—plays a critical role in reducing environmental impact, improving resilience and encouraging innovation for sustainable development. Kenya’s active participation in the global standardisation arena underscores the commitment to shaping a sustainable future.
The foundation of the vision for a shared sustainable future is built on the principle of openness in standardisation. That ensures the standardisation process is transparent, participatory and inclusive, allowing individuals and institutions to contribute meaningfully. For societies, openness translates to an expanded flow of goods and information through a global, market-oriented system of exchange. It reflects a fusion of technology, democracy and entrepreneurial capitalism, liberating development from centralised control and arbitrary power.
Openness promotes the development and adoption of environmentally responsible and socially inclusive technologies. Accessible and widely available standards encourage collaboration across sectors, prevent monopolies and reduce inefficiencies, especially in green technology development. For example, standards governing renewable energy systems, such as smart grids, ensure interoperability and scalability, driving down costs and making sustainable solutions more accessible to all. Standardisation also reduces waste in energy systems, transportation and manufacturing by promoting the efficient use of resources.
Moreover, by fostering inclusivity, the principle of openness allows smaller players—startups, developing communities and less-developed nations—to participate in standardisation.
Kebs’ Golden Jubilee today marks 50 years of its dedication to ensuring standardisation for quality, safety and sustainability—pivotal in driving Kenya’s socioeconomic growth and fostering a brighter, more resilient sustainable future.
Dr Karau (PhD) is the Director, Quality Assurance and Inspection, Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs). [email protected]
Source link : https://nation.africa/kenya/blogs-opinion/blogs/-standardisation-the-roadmap-to-a-sustainable-future-in-kenya-4793322
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Publish date : 2024-10-13 21:00:00
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