An Evaluation of the Social Value-Action Gap in the Governance of the Nairobi River System

The restoration of urban river ecosystems in Nairobi faces persistent challenges stemming from a disconnect between communities’ environmental values and actions despite the robust legal structure governing environmental management. This study quantifies the Social Value-Action Gap among 400 respondents in riparian communities along the Nairobi River system, by assessing individual social value orientations, disposal/sanitation practices and participation in governance. Using a mixed-methods, cross-sectional research design, data were collected from a stratified random sample across the dominant land uses; residential, commercial, agricultural, and industrial. To contextualize and complement the quantitative data, key informant interviews with relevant line authorities were also conducted. Psychometric assessments were used to evaluate environmental concern and the levels of participation in governance. The descriptive analysis provided a baseline for the significant levels of environmental apathy within the population. Based on measures from the Value-Belief-Norm theory, results showed predominantly self-enhancing values among individuals with 78.7% not keen on waste segregation, 60.8% prioritizing economic growth over environmental stewardship, and 61.1% viewing waste management as solely a government obligation among other actions. Active civic engagement was critically low, with a marginal 5.6% engaging in direct communication with authorities and only 6.6% involved with environmental groups. Inferential analyses confirmed that age and education significantly influence ecological profiles (p < .001), with young adults (ages 18–34) displaying the highest levels of environmental apathy. Furthermore, Spearman’s rank-order correlation revealed a statistically significant, strong negative correlation (rs = -.72, p < .001) between environmental apathy and local governance participation, alongside a moderate to strong positive correlation (rs = .4989, p < .001) linking environmental apathy to unsustainable waste disposal/sanitation practices. These findings affirm the ineffectiveness of conventional approaches towards environmental governance as they fail to account for social values and meaningful integration of riparian communities into both formal and informal governance frameworks.

Environmental Governance, Nairobi River, Pro-environmental Behavior, Urban riparian communities, Social Value-Action Gap

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