Operational Definition of Terms

The Climate Justice Movement (CJM) in Kenya is a decentralized coalition of civil society, grassroots organizations, and indigenous groups working to address unequal climate impacts. While the movement has successfully influenced policy and established a strong grassroots presence, it faces challenges including internal leadership disputes, limited funding, and coordination gaps. The study highlights the importance of the Financing Locally Led Climate Action (FLLoCA) program and the need for better gender mainstreaming and technical capacity building to ensure equitable climate action.

• The Climate Justice Movement (CJM) in Kenya is composed of a diverse range of actors, including local and international NGOs, faith-based organizations, indigenous peoples and local community (IPLC) organizations, and community-based organizations (CBOs). A total of 332 actors were identified, with 70.8% of IPLC work focused at the local level, while 90% of international NGOs operate at the national level.
• Kenya possesses a robust legal and policy framework for climate governance, including the Climate Change Act of 2016, the National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP), and the $171 million Financing Locally Led Climate Action (FLLoCA) program. However, implementation is hindered by limited funding, coordination gaps, and political will, with some national bodies like the Climate Change Council remaining inactive.
• The CJM employs a multi-level advocacy strategy targeting communities, county governments, and the national government. At the county level, this includes using tools like the Mulika Tracking Tool in Marsabit County to monitor ward development funds and conducting participatory climate risk assessments to influence budgeting and policy.
• Despite the recognition of gender integration in national policies and the Climate Change Act, actual implementation is weak. Power dynamics and inequality continue to limit the participation of women and marginalized groups in climate-related decision-making processes.
• The movement's overall effectiveness is currently undermined by internal fragmentation, leadership disputes, and high dependence on donors. These issues have weakened the CJM's unified voice and its ability to maintain a strong role in governance bodies like the National Climate Change Council.

APA

Abuya, N., Otieno, C., Nyauma, V., Njoki, H. J., & Muthami, R. (n.d.). Operational Definition of Terms. Natural Justice. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Final-Infographic-summary-the-state-of-the-CJM-in-Kenya-Report.pdf

Chicago

Abuya, Nicholas, Collins Otieno, Virginia Nyauma, Hilda Joy Njoki, and Robert Muthami. Operational Definition of Terms. Natural Justice, n.d. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Final-Infographic-summary-the-state-of-the-CJM-in-Kenya-Report.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Abuya |first1=Nicholas |last2=Otieno |first2=Collins |last3=Nyauma |first3=Virginia |last4=Njoki |first4=Hilda Joy |last5=Muthami |first5=Robert |title=Operational Definition of Terms |publisher=Natural Justice |url=https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Final-Infographic-summary-the-state-of-the-CJM-in-Kenya-Report.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{abuyandoperational, author = {Abuya, Nicholas and Otieno, Collins and Nyauma, Virginia and Njoki, Hilda Joy and Muthami, Robert}, title = {{Operational Definition of Terms}}, institution = {Natural Justice}, url = {https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Final-Infographic-summary-the-state-of-the-CJM-in-Kenya-Report.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }