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
3rd July 2025
Integrating Indigenous knowledge into environmental policies for sustainable forest management in Benin This blog, written by Ferdinand Ayimasse, Esdras Obossou and Edmond Totin, highlights SURVIE NGO’s collaborative project in southern Benin, where Indigenous knowledge from sacred forest traditions is being integrated into national biodiversity policy through multi‑stakeholder co‑production dialogues. By engaging traditional leaders, government bodies, NGOs, and local communities, the initiative aims to bridge cultural and institutional gaps, advocating for legal frameworks, public awareness, and co-governance models to sustainably protect forests and cultural heritage.
Resource
30th June 2025
Participatory climate education: CDKN Ghana's inclusive climate games These games utilise interactive, play-based learning to enhance climate literacy and inspire action, particularly among young people, women, and groups facing marginalisation. Designed to make learning more accessible, they provide an engaging and accessible way to share knowledge.
Resource
30th June 2025
Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) training manual for Ethiopian practitioners   This Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) training manual is a key resource for the Ministry of Planning and Development of Ethiopia and its partner institutions. It provides guidance to GESI experts (and facilitators) on how to plan, prepare for, and conduct training on GESI integration in the design and implementation of development and climate change projects. 
Resource
29th June 2025
Technical briefs: Building water resilience in Kenya These five technical briefs outline the key findings and recommendations derived from a comprehensive functionality and governance study that assessed public good climate investments in water infrastructure implemented through the County Climate Change Fund (CCCF) mechanism across five counties in Kenya.
Feature
29th June 2025
Hope, action, and resilience: The future of Nairobi’s informal settlements in the hands of young leaders What do 30 young leaders from Muungano wa Wanavijiji, representing different informal settlements in Nairobi, envision for their communities, and how do they plan to get there? This blog co-authored by Sarah Ouma, Kevin Stanley Mburu, Lucia Scodanibbio, Christine Wambui, Jacob Omondi, Zizipho Royi, explores the inspiring visions these young people shared at a recent knowledge brokering workshop, highlighting their commitment to driving change.
Feature
12th June 2025
Improving local access to climate finance: Lessons from the CDKN Namibia country programme This blog, by Amanda April and Margaret Angula, dives into the critical challenge of ensuring climate finance effectively reaches local communities in Namibia. It examines the complexities of current funding flows, highlighting significant barriers and offering practical recommendations to bridge the gap between national climate goals and essential on-the-ground adaptation efforts.
News
20th May 2025
CDKN at Rise Africa Festival 2025 The Rise Africa Festival 2025 takes place in Cape Town, South Africa, from 25-29 May. CDKN will be co-convening a two-day workshop on 29 and 30 May to explore human rights-based approaches (HRBA) for biodiversity and climate action in cities.
Feature
16th May 2025
Muungano youth share their role as knowledge brokers driving change in informal settlements Young people are often the first responders to climate and social challenges in their communities, and this is especially true for Muungano wa Wanavijiji Youth. Living in informal settlements where issues of land, housing, and access to basic services are deeply connected to climate vulnerability, Muungano youth are often the hardest hit by disasters like floods.
Resource
30th April 2025
Empowering Himalayan communities with solar micro-grids in Ladakh This case study examines the role that solar micro-grids have played in empowering remote communities in Ladakh, a region high in the Indian Himalayas. These systems have provided an alternative in areas that have long struggled with limited power due to harsh terrain and sparse populations, which have made extending the national grid unfeasible. Prior to this, many households relied on polluting and inefficient fossil fuels like kerosene, diesel, and firewood, sources that posed health risks and contributed to climate change.

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