Contributors: Atela, J., Kanyangi, W., Agevi, H., Nantongo, M., & Onyango, F. (2025)
East African communities, particularly those grappling with poverty, gender inequality, and other forms of social marginalisation, are at the frontline of the climate crisis. The impacts of climate change are already eroding livelihoods, compromising food security, and threatening the overall well-being of millions across the region. Despite contributing just 4% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (UN, 2006; IEA, 2022), Africa is experiencing significant climate risks, with projections indicating that these challenges will intensify in the coming years.
East Africa is especially vulnerable compared to other regions of the continent. This heightened exposure is driven by an overreliance on climate-sensitive sectors, limited adaptive capacities, and a lack of institutional, technological, and financial infrastructure to reduce emissions and enhance resilience (Doku et al., 2021a; 2021b; Mekonnen et al., 2021; Phiri & Doku, 2024). According to the African Development Bank (2022), the region also scores relatively low on the Climate Resilience Index (CRI), further underscoring its susceptibility.
Although adaptation efforts are underway, they are significantly constrained by a lack of robust evidence on the effectiveness of current interventions and the potential for scaling impactful investments. As a result, a critical rethinking of existing climate policy instruments is needed. Key questions arise: Are current initiatives truly improving the lives of vulnerable communities? Are they meeting their intended goals, such as promoting equity and delivering value for money? Without clear, evidence-based answers to these questions, valuable resources risk being misallocated, and progress towards a climate-resilient future may be compromised.
To address these gaps, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), through its East Africa Research and Innovation Hub (EARIH), commissioned the study Assessing the Effectiveness of Climate Change Interventions in East Africa. The objective was to generate empirical evidence to inform future adaptation investments across the region by understanding what works, what does not and why.
Through a combination of field-based research and systematic desk review, the study’s Technical Report1 and accompanying Policy Brief2 pursued three key objectives: (i) identifying priority adaptation sectors and interventions; (ii) understanding the drivers influencing the uptake of different interventions, including the specific needs of marginalised……..
