Climate change is not a distant or abstract threat — for millions of Nigerians, it is already reshaping livelihoods, displacing communities, and deepening existing inequalities. At Tunani Initiative, our Climate Justice work is grounded in the recognition that those who have contributed least to the climate crisis are often the ones bearing the heaviest burdens. Our goal is to ensure that communities on the frontlines of climate change have a voice in the decisions that affect them.
We work at the intersection of climate governance, civic participation, and community advocacy. Our programmes support citizens and civil society organisations to engage with environmental policy processes, hold institutions accountable for climate commitments, and advocate for locally informed solutions. We believe that effective climate action is not possible without the meaningful participation of the communities most affected — and that is the space we work to open up.
Our work spans climate literacy education, support for community-based environmental monitoring, and advocacy capacity building for grassroots groups. We have trained community monitors to document environmental changes in their areas, supported the development of community climate action plans, and produced accessible resources that help citizens understand their rights in environmental governance processes. Each intervention is designed to be practical, locally relevant, and linked to broader advocacy goals.
Partnerships are central to how we work on climate justice. We collaborate with environmental organisations, academic researchers, development partners, and government agencies to ensure that community voices feed into policy processes at the right moments. We also work to connect local advocates with regional and global platforms, so that Nigerian communities are represented in climate conversations that often happen far from the places most affected.
Gender, Climate and Inclusion
The impacts of climate change are not experienced equally. Women and girls, particularly in rural and farming communities, face heightened vulnerability due to existing inequalities in access to land, resources, and decision-making power. Tunani's Climate Justice programme actively integrates a gender lens — ensuring that women's knowledge, leadership, and advocacy are central to the climate solutions we support.
We have worked with women-led community groups to document how climate shifts are affecting agricultural calendars, water access, and food security in their communities. This evidence is used to advocate for gender-responsive climate policies and to push for women's inclusion in local and national climate governance processes. We believe that climate solutions designed without women's input will always fall short.
As the urgency of the climate crisis intensifies, Tunani remains committed to keeping communities at the centre of the response — building their capacity to advocate, monitor, and lead the transitions that will shape their futures.
