Mobilising knowledge,
capacity and leadership in
the global South to improve
the well-being of the most
climate-affected people
Lady with plants
CDKN
We work with the public, private and non-governmental sectors in support of locally-owned and -led climate-resilient action.
This English language site features projects in the 70+ countries where we’ve worked, and resources and blogs from those and more.
Feature
4th November 2025
Rethinking climate and biodiversity finance through a rights-based lens When we talk about financing the response to climate change and biodiversity loss, the discussion often turns to numbers; how much is being pledged, how much is being spent, how big the gap remains. But as became clear during a recent Paris Committee on Capacity-building Network (PCCB) webinar, finance is never just about figures. It reflects the choices we make about what, who and, how we value.
Feature
27th October 2025
FFLA hosts dialogue to reflect on ethics and climate action ahead of COP30 On 16 September, Fundación Futuro Latinoamericano (FFLA), a CDKN partner, convened women leaders, community representatives, activists and conservation groups from across Ecuador to reflect on the ethics of the climate crisis. The dialogue formed part of the Global Ethical Stocktake, contributing to efforts to identify the root causes of the crisis and propose ethical, collaborative solutions ahead of COP30 in Brazil.
Resource
23rd October 2025
Working paper: Learning from eight water funds in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru Water is the foundation of human well-being, sustaining all aspects of life. However, in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, current water governance faces challenges such as sectoral silos, unsustainable development, insufficient regulation, and limited resources, all of which are intensified by climate change. To address these issues, water funds have emerged as a promising mechanism to protect water sources, improve access, and ensure sustainable water management for communities and ecosystems.
Feature
21st October 2025
Beyond the mitigation-adaptation binary: How funders can embrace the Resilience Continuum For far too long, philanthropy has been approaching intervention on the climate crisis from a series of binaries – adaptation vs mitigation, immediate vs long-term, etc. As we hurtle toward static solutions in the midst of climate devastation and polycrisis, we should be considering what it means to work along Resilience Continuum. This is an abridged version of an article originally published in Alliance Magazine. 
Event
16th October 2025
CDKN in Panama for CBD SBSTTA-27 and SB8j-1 meetings CDKN’s Ecosystem-Based Adaptation Thematic Lead, Nadia Sitas, will represent CDKN at multiple events during CBD SBSTTA‑27 and SB‑8j1 in Panama. 
Resource
13th October 2025
Empowering women through forest-based enterprises in Nepal This case study explores how grassroots women-led forest enterprises in Nepal are turning traditional knowledge into eco-products that boost incomes and support sustainable forest management. Written by Mairi Dupar, senior technical advisor at CDKN, and Kanchan Lama, a senior gender expert and Indigenous People's champion from Nepal, it was published as a background paper for the Asian Development Bank's Asia Pacific Climate Report 2025. Below are the main takeaways.
Feature
13th October 2025
Measuring impact: Kenya’s innovative approach to tracking and reporting climate action impact The following blog by Esperanza Karaho explores Kenya’s new standardised indicator handbook and digital MERL tool to track climate action impact. This collaboration promises stronger transparency, data integration, and more measurable benefits at national and county levels.
Resource
29th September 2025
T20 Policy brief: Pathways to integrating adaptation and resilience into financial transition plans for climate-resilient development South African think tank initiative, T20, which is providing guidance to South Africa’s G20 presidency, has published a short policy brief calling for a shift in transition finance priorities as part of its accelerating climate action and the just energy transition taskforce. The brief was written by SSN programme leads Samson Mbewe and Phatsimo Rahman, Mairi Dupar, senior technical advisor for CDKN, based at ODI Global (UK), and SSN and CDKN director Dr Shehnaaz Moosa.
Feature
12th September 2025
Devolving climate finance: Lessons from a Kenya-Nepal peer exchange on locally-led adaptation The following blog by Rahul Singh, Esperanza Karaho and Megh Dhoj Adhikari, explores Kenya’s devolved climate finance model, which empowers local communities to lead climate adaptation planning and implementation. A peer‑exchange led by CDKN enabled Nepalese municipal and provincial representatives to observe Kenya’s approach firsthand, which, if implemented in Nepal could help bridge its local funding gaps.

Where we work

CDKN works across Africa, Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean. Find out more by navigating to our country pages.

CDKN on film

The Gender Equality in a Low Carbon World (GLOW) programme investigates opportunities for women’s economic empowerment in low-carbon transitions across 12 projects in 17 countries.

 

Gender Equality in a Low Carbon World

Innovations for women’s economic empowerment and climate action

Ecosystem-based Adaptation

Strengthening equitable and locally-appropriate ecosystem-based adaptation

Justice in a changing climate

Empowering local groups to effectively advocate for just and inclusive climate action

Knowledge brokering for climate action

Exploring and strengthening the role of knowledge brokers as facilitators of change