Places

CJRF makes grants in East Africa, the Bay of Bengal, and the Arctic – geographic contexts where severe climate impacts overlap with strong local leadership and the potential for regional or global influence. These are places where CJRF has identified that:

  • 5Climate impacts are severe and escalating.
  • 5Community-led initiatives already exist with the capacity and willingness to respond.
  • 5There are opportunities to link local work to broader systems.
  • 5Work can be replicated or scaled to deepen reach and impact.
  • 5CJRF either has or can develop the contextual knowledge and relationships needed for trustful grant partnerships.

Beyond East Africa, the Bay of Bengal, and the Arctic, CJRF also supports some regional and global initiatives, led by or accountable to women, youth, and Indigenous Peoples, that connect, reinforce, and amplify community-led climate justice efforts. CJRF’s global work aligns with efforts to link local work to broader systems, and it supports partners to scale reach and impact.

Docubox

East Africa

As the Earth warms, much of East Africa is experiencing increasingly unpredictable rainfall. This means: unreliable rainy seasons, an unusual frequency of severe droughts, and significant flooding from unexpected downpours. As a result, diverse communities confront the intersecting challenges of population growth, irregular rainfall, and a rapidly shifting development agenda.
Household level rain water harvesting with Amamizu Jars

The Bay of Bengal

With long, low-lying coastal areas, dense populations, and high poverty levels, the Bay of Bengal is one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable regions. The people in this region face cyclones, storm surge, flooding, heat waves, erratic rainfall, and sea level rise—all projected to become more frequent and intense.
Makeway

The Arctic

Climate change is altering the Arctic faster than any other region, and people living there must confront profound transformations in their environment. Indigenous Peoples in Alaska and northern Canada face identity, cultural, and livelihood disruptions since their ways of life and traditions rely heavily on Arctic land and waters. But these disruptions also create opportunities to address poverty, addiction, a suicide epidemic, and other entrenched challenges that stem from the region’s traumatic colonial history.