The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) has officially broken ground on its new African headquarters in Nairobi, a milestone that signals a major evolution in global climate governance. The new facility, set to be completed by 2027 at a cost of KSh1.7 billion, marks the launch of a historic dual-headquarters model, shared between Nairobi and Rotterdam, ushering in a new era of co-ownership between the Global South and Global North.
This bold move reflects a growing consensus: that effective climate adaptation must be driven by those experiencing the most severe climate shocks. By embedding a permanent base in Africa, GCA is not only decentralizing its operations but reinforcing Africa’s pivotal role in shaping the global climate resilience agenda.
The headquarters will function as more than a physical office. It is envisioned as a collaborative space where policymakers, researchers, development banks, civil society actors, and entrepreneurs will co-create context-specific solutions to climate challenges. Its location at the Kenya School of Government also ties adaptation policy directly into public sector reform and leadership development, enabling climate considerations to be mainstreamed into national planning.
At the heart of the Nairobi center’s mandate is the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP)—a joint initiative by GCA and the African Development Bank that aims to mobilize $25 billion to accelerate adaptation across agriculture, infrastructure, water, and disaster risk management. Already, GCA’s upstream work has shaped over $17 billion worth of adaptation investments across the continent.
The facility itself is designed to walk the talk of sustainable infrastructure. Developed by Powerhouse Company, the headquarters will feature modular timber construction, solar-powered energy systems, rainwater harvesting, green walls, and passive cooling technology—making it one of Africa’s few energy-positive buildings. The design will also support healthy indoor air quality and a low carbon footprint, embodying the same resilience principles it promotes.
In addition to hosting GCA’s operations, the center will become home to a Green Adaptation Accelerator Forum, convening global leaders annually to track progress and scale financing. A dedicated Capacity-Building Academy will train public officials, SMEs, and community leaders in adaptation planning, climate risk assessment, and climate finance innovation—fostering a new generation of African climate champions.
This groundbreaking moment comes as Kenya steps up its own climate governance efforts, including the recent Division of Revenue Bill, 2025, which sets aside KSh9.6 billion through the Equalisation Fund to strengthen services in marginalized areas—an approach aligned with climate-just development.
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By rooting its second global headquarters in Nairobi, GCA is sending a clear message: Africa is no longer at the periphery of climate dialogue. It is a lead architect of the solutions that the world urgently needs. As COP30 looms, the Nairobi hub stands as a blueprint for a more inclusive, resilient, and co-created future in global adaptation leadership.
