What Climate and Development Knowledge Network does

The Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) is a non-profit knowledge brokering programme founded in 2010 and headquartered in Cape Town, South Africa, operating under the managing partnership of SouthSouthNorth. Its core function is to mobilise knowledge, capacity, and leadership in the Global South to improve the wellbeing of the most climate-affected people, working with national and subnational governments, NGOs, research institutions, and community actors across Africa, Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean. CDKN delivers its work through priority action areas covering Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI), Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA), and Finance for Resilience, supplemented by the Knowledge-to-Action grants programme that disburses funds (e.g., US$150,000 per African organisation) to local actors mobilising Indigenous knowledge.

The platform does not operate a unified software product but functions as an integrated knowledge network comprising a digital library of publications and IPCC factsheets, interactive learning tools such as the 'All Hands on Deck' knowledge brokering card game and the Climate and Society interactive game, peer exchange programmes (e.g., Kenya-Nepal), regional offices in Quito and New Delhi managed by FFLA and ICLEI South Asia respectively, and convening activity at UNFCCC COP, CBD COP16, UNFF, and regional climate weeks. CDKN contributes to the COP Resilience Hub and Africa Regional Resilience Hub, co-ideated 31 regional programme ideas with UNFCCC's Needs-Based Finance project (US$1–2B ambition), and supported the scale-out of County Climate Change Funds to all 47 Kenyan counties.

The business model is entirely grant-funded: CDKN receives multi-year programmatic grants from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC), with the current funding cycle covering 2018–2027 (Knowledge for Change III, with a 2022–2027 sub-phase). The organisation does not charge beneficiaries for its publications, training, or capacity building services, has no commercial pricing model, and operates as a demand-led intermediary rather than a revenue-generating enterprise. Strategic positioning emphasises locally-led, gender-responsive, and ecosystem-based climate action, with deliberate presence at global policy forums to channel local evidence into international climate finance and adaptation policy processes.

Name

Climate and Development Knowledge Network

Legal name

Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN)

Website

https://cdkn.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Climate and Development Knowledge Network is a grant-funded, non-profit knowledge brokering programme supporting climate-resilient development across 70+ countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America through research synthesis, capacity building, and grant deployment for governments, NGOs, and local communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Grant funding from government donors: CDKN is a grant-funded programme supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada. The organisation does not generate commercial revenue but operates as a demand-led knowledge network advancing climate-resilient development.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

CDKN is a demand-led knowledge brokering network that connects climate change research, policy and practice for decision-makers in the Global South. It delivers research synthesis, capacity-building, peer-learning and grant-funded projects across thematic priority areas such as gender equity, ecosystem-based adaptation, and climate finance. The network is funded primarily by government grants and is managed by SouthSouthNorth as lead delivery partner.

Product overview

The Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) is a knowledge brokering platform that operates across Africa, Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean. Rather than a unified software product, CDKN functions as a knowledge network offering multiple interconnected programmes: the Knowledge for Change Programme for capacity building and learning, Finance for Resilience and Ecosystem-based Adaptation priority action areas, Gender Equity and Social Inclusion initiatives, and the Knowledge-to-Action Grants Programme. The platform provides climate knowledge resources including publications, case studies, IPCC factsheets, interactive learning tools such as the 'All Hands on Deck' card game and Climate and Society interactive game, as well as accessibility-compliant downloadable resources. CDKN works with regional partners including SouthSouthNorth, FFLA, and ICLEI to deliver locally-led climate action support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Knowledge-to-Action (K2A) Grants Programme A grant funding programme that awards funds to local organisations, researchers and community groups to translate climate knowledge into actionable, on-the-ground projects in the Global South.
• Knowledge for Change Programme CDKN's core programme that designs and delivers demand-led knowledge brokering interventions, connecting climate researchers, policy makers and practitioners.
• Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) Priority Action Area A thematic programme that integrates gender equity and social inclusion across CDKN's work and supports partners to design inclusive climate policies and programmes.
• Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) Priority Action Area A thematic programme that advances nature-based, ecosystem-based adaptation approaches and supports partners to integrate EbA into climate policy.
• Finance for Resilience Priority Action Area A thematic programme that supports partners to access, design and deploy climate finance instruments for resilience-building in developing countries.
• IPCC Factsheets Concise, synthesised factsheets that translate IPCC findings into accessible, decision-ready content for climate policy makers and practitioners.
• All Hands on Deck Knowledge Brokering Card Game An interactive educational card game designed to teach and practise knowledge brokering skills among climate and development professionals.
• Climate and Society Interactive Game An interactive educational game used to build awareness and understanding of climate-society interactions among diverse audiences.

Quantifiable outcome

• 31 regional climate finance programme ideas conceptualised with potential to mobilise US$1-2 billion
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• SouthSouthNorth (SSN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouthSouthNorth (SSN) is the managing partner of CDKN, hosting the Africa head office in Cape Town. SSN also manages the COP Resilience Hub and leads the Africa Regional Resilience Hub, positioning CDKN at the centre of global climate finance dialogues.
• Fundación Futuro Latinoamericano (FFLA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFFLA manages the CDKN Latin America regional office in Quito, Ecuador, supporting climate knowledge brokering and capacity building across the region.
• ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability, South AsiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICLEI South Asia manages the CDKN Asia regional office in New Delhi, supporting climate action and knowledge brokering across Asian countries.
• UNFCCC (Needs-Based Finance project)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDKN leads co-ideation processes for UNFCCC's Needs-Based Finance project, supporting design of regional climate programmes. To date, 31 regional programme ideas have been conceptualised with estimated ambition of mobilising US$1-2 billion in climate finance.
• Adaptation FundmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDKN works with the Adaptation Fund to develop its readiness strategy with strong emphasis on Locally Led Adaptation (LLA), delivering innovation workshops across the Global South.
• Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDKN contributes to inclusive pathways for financing resilience at CBD COP16 in Cali, Colombia, advancing biodiversity-climate nexus work.
• Climate and Development Ministerial ProcessmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDKN participates in the Climate and Development Ministerial Process, highlighting priorities of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
• COP Resilience HubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDKN, through SouthSouthNorth, manages the COP Resilience Hub ensuring local perspectives inform global climate finance dialogues.
• Adaptation Consortium (Kenya)majorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartners with the Adaptation Consortium to support Kenya's County Climate Change Fund mechanism, demonstrating how devolved climate finance architectures can achieve local-level impact.
• University of Namibia (UNAM)majorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartnership with UNAM for climate change governance research and gender-responsive climate action integration in Namibia.
• Africa Regional Resilience HubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLed by SouthSouthNorth under the COP Resilience Hub, connecting local perspectives to global climate finance dialogues.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Stockholm Environment Institute: SEI is an independent international research organisation on environment and development with offices across Africa, Asia, and the Americas. It mirrors CDKN's knowledge brokering and policy translation role across the climate-development nexus.
• World Resources Institute: WRI is a large global research organisation on environment and development with offices across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. It operates as a comparable climate-knowledge broker producing data, analysis, and practical solutions for policymakers.
• Global Center on Adaptation: GCA is an international organisation accelerating climate adaptation globally, with programmes in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. It is comparable to CDKN through shared emphasis on locally-led adaptation, government engagement, and similar multilateral/government donor base.
• Overseas Development Institute: ODI is an independent think tank producing research and advisory services on international development and humanitarian issues. It is comparable to CDKN's role bridging research, policy, and practice on climate and development.

Direct peers

• SouthSouthNorth: CDKN's managing partner and Africa head office host, SouthSouthNorth is a Cape Town-based applied climate and development organisation. It shares CDKN's Global South footprint, donor relationships, and capacity-building focus, and also leads the COP Resilience Hub.
• International Institute for Environment and Development: IIED is a policy and action research organisation promoting sustainable development, linking local priorities to global challenges. It mirrors CDKN's focus on locally-led action, climate governance, and donor-funded research synthesis in the Global South.
• Climate Policy Initiative: CPI is a global climate finance and policy analysis organisation producing deep research on climate investment flows. It is comparable to CDKN as a knowledge intermediary at the intersection of climate finance, policy, and Global South development.
• Fundación Futuro Latinoamericano: FFLA is CDKN's Latin America regional implementing partner, managing the Quito office. It is an Ecuadorian foundation focused on climate governance, water resources, and conflict resolution, providing directly comparable regional knowledge brokering capacity.
• Germanwatch: Germanwatch is a German environmental and development organisation engaged in political advocacy, policy research, and capacity building on climate change. It shares CDKN's knowledge brokering and policy translation mandate, with a European advocacy perspective.

Regional players

• The Energy and Resources Institute: TERI is an India-based research organisation on energy, environment, and sustainable development with strong South Asia presence. It is comparable to CDKN as a research-to-policy knowledge broker, though with regional concentration in Asia.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xbsky.app/profile/cdkn.org
• YouTubeyoutube.com/cdknetwork
• Facebookfacebook.com/CDKNetwork
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/climate-and-development-knowledge-network

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Climate and Development Knowledge Network