As a Research Fellow, Tonui assists with research and project management in projects under Climate Resilient Economies programme. Tonui actively participates in climate change discussions and negotiations at local, national, regional and international level that aim to create awareness, enhance capacity, share evidence and try to shape policies to facilitate integration of climate change and disaster risk reduction into plans, policies, projects & programmes in Africa. Tonui has co-authored several climate change, disaster risk reduction, green infrastructure, and agriculture and energy articles with other researchers and scholars. Currently, he is the disaster risk policy analyst under the Nairobi Risk Hub supporting Nairobi City to transition from reactive to proactive disaster risk planning and management. Tonui joined ACTS in April 2009 where he started as an intern then transition to research assistant and research fellow. He holds a BSc Degree in Environmental Science from Egerton University and Master in Environmental Planning and Management from Kenyatta University, Kenya.
Other areas of expertise: Environmental conservation, climate innovation and entrepreneurship (business plan development using triple-bottom approach), lifelong learning and livelihoods diversification.
Currently, Tonui is involved in the implementation of:

UKRI-GCRF funded Tomorrow’ cities’ Nairobi Risk Hub’ Multi-Hazard project supporting Nairobi City to transition from reactive to proactive disaster risk planning and management: 

1. Undertaking context analysis of DRR in Nairobi (specifically in Mukuru Slum)  
2. Co-convening Nairobi City’ multi-stakeholder DRR policy dialogues
3. Contributing to risk and vulnerability assessment (RVA) and impact of new infrastructure in Mukuru slum
4. Contributing to development of Kibera Slum’ Special Area Planning
5. Co-convening regional and international DRR forum 

Capacity Strengthening in Africa on Adaptation to Climate Change: active observer of UNFCCC COPs. Currently, supporting (logistics and rapporteur) African led events towards UNFCCC COP26

1. Atela J. Huq, S. Ochieng, C., Owiyo T., Orindi V., and Mbeva, K. (2016), ‘Enhancing Adaptation to Climate Change in Developing Countries through Community-based Adaptation: Think Globally and Act Locally’. ACTS Press pp. 253

 

1. Newell, P. Taylor,O. & Tonui, C. (2017) Governing Food and Agriculture in a Warming World, (Journal) Global Environmental Politics

1. Mbeva, K. Atela, J., Ochieng, C. Khaemba, W. & Tonui, C. et al. 2015. Intended Nationally Determined Contributions as a Means to Strengthening Africa's Engagement in International Climate Negotiations. ACTS Policy Brief, CRE 002/2015
2. United Nations Environment Programme (2018). Trade in Environmentally Sound Technologies in the East African Countries. A Policy Brief of the Environment and Trade Hub of UN Environment and UNEP DTU Partnership. (Tonui, C., et al. contributed to field work, analysis and writing of the policy brief)
3. Rono F., Tonui C., Nderitu S., and Kirui S., (2012) Could ICT be the Solution to Woo Youth to Agriculture? ACTS Press, Nairobi, Kenya  
4. SALSA (2020) Policy Brief:  Lessons from Africa, March 2020  http://www.salsa.uevora.pt/salsa-reports-publications/;http://www.salsa.uevora.pt/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/SALSA_AFRICA_POLICY_en.pdf
5. East Africa Resaerch Fund (2018). What is the role of regional infrastructure in promoting green economies in the EAC?

1. (2014). Green Economy Assessment Report – Kenya. (Tonui, C. et al. among Annex 4: participants in the stakeholders consultations)
2. Fact Sheet Collection Research findings from 30 Reference Regions in Europe and Africa

1. Atela, J., Tonui, C. and Glover, D. (2018) Farmers’ Agency and Experiences of Agricultural Change in Rural Kenya: Insights from Exploratory Fieldwork, STEPS Working Paper 102, Brighton: STEPS Centre
2. CDKN, 2012, Synthesis Paper ‘Agriculture. Food Security and Climate Compatible Development- Case Studies of Kenya, Bangladesh & Honduras ’, Contributors: Tonui, C. al).
3. Huff, A. and Tonui, C. (2017) Making 'Mangroves Together': Carbon, conservation and co-management in Gazi Bay, Kenya, STEPS Working Paper 95, Brighton: STEPS Centre
4. J, Tonui. C, Wakhungu. J and Nderitu. S, Diversification of Livelihood as Adaptation to Climate by Local Communities, ACTS Press, December 2011
5. Mbeva, K. Atela, J., Ochieng, C. Khaemba, W. & Tonui, C. Intended Nationally Determined Contributions as a Means to Strengthening Africa's Engagement in International Climate Negotiations. ACTS Working Paper, CRE 001/2015
6. Onyango J. O., Tonui C., Muok B., (2012) East Africa Climate Innovation Network: Innovators and Entrepreneurs List, EACIN-ACTS Publications
7. Tonui, C., Mbeva, K. and Atela, J., (2016), Financing Community Based Adaptation: Requirements And Enablers, Climate Resilient Economies Programme, Policy Brief 007/2016, ACTS Press, Nairobi
8. Rademaker, C., Omedo B., Lee, J., Kilelu, C., and Tonui, C., Sustainable growth of the Kenyan dairy sector; a quick scan of robustness, reliability and resilience. Report 3R Kenya/WLR 979.
9. Rademaker, C., Omedo B., Lee, J., Kilelu, C., and Tonui, C., 2016. Executive summary: Resilient, robust and reliable agro-food sectors in Kenya, ‘From aid to sustainable trade: driving competitive dairy sector development’. Wageningen UR, Wageningen, The Netherlands

1. Patrick, E.M., Koge, J.W., Zwarts, E., Wesonga, J.M., Atela, J.O., Tonui, C., Kilelu, C., Goosen, H., Coninx, I., Koomen, I. 2020. Climate-resilient horticulture for sustainable county development in Kenya. 3R Research Report 010, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen.
2. United Nations Environment Programme (2018). Trade in environmentally sound technologies in the East African region. A report of the Environment and Trade Hub of UN Environment and UNEP DTU Partnership. (Atela, J., Tonui, C., and Ochieng, R., from African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS) contributed to field work, analysis and writing of the report)
3. (2014). Green Economy Assessment Report – Kenya. (Tonui, C. et al. among Annex 4: participants in the stakeholders consultations)
4. Reeve, K. E., Bronstein, K. E., Atela, J., & Tonui, C. (2018). The role of regional infrastructure in promoting green economic growth in the East African Community (EAC). Department for International Development (DFID).
5. 3R Kenya Project (2016) Project Inception Workshop Report -3R Kenya –From Aid to Sustainable Trade: Multisector Stakeholder Forum. Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi 19th -20th July 2016

 

1. Joanes Atela, Victoria Chengo, Keziah Mwanga, Tom Randa, Charles Tonui, Haron Akala and Linet Mwirigi (July 2020). A transition from emergency response to risk preparedness in disaster management in Africa – lessons from the COVID-19 emergency response.
2. The Role of Subnational Governments in Promoting People-centered COVID-19 Response in Africa – Charles Tonui, Joanes Atela and Victoria Chengo et al. (2020)
3. Where is the agency of farmers in Africa's 'new Green Revolution'?by Joanes Atela, Charles Tonui, Dominic Glover and Saurabh Arora

 

1. Featured in a video produced by the European Commission on Presentation of Funding Opportunities for Cooperation between Africa and Europe through Horizon 2020 and the European Research Council held at the African Academy of Sciences in March, 2019, Nairobi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gp3janrfm1w
2. Community Videos: Produced four Participatory Videos for Monitoring and Evaluation (PV for PM&E) for CBA projects :

1. Lemaire, I, Tonui, C, Ongor, D, Nyukuri, E, & Adwera, A ((2010) Oyola and Wakesi village adapting to climate change in Kisumu, Kenya.
2. Lemaire, I, Tonui, C, Ongor, D, & Nyukuri, E ((2010) Water in Wakesi village.
3. Tonui, C, Ongor, D, Nyukuri, E, & Adwera, A ((2010) CLACC Kenya: CBA in Oyola.

Tonui was among the mentors for the 2019 cohort of the World Resource Institute’ Land Accelerator, which is network for entrepreneurs who restore degraded forests and farmland.

• Full scholarship to attend a three weeks training on pathways to sustainability at the institute of development studies at Sussex University Governing the Nexus in Southern Africa - Project-Funded Visiting Fellowship at the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), STEPS Centre, University of Sussex, United Kingdom (UK) from 07 to 26 May 2017 ids.ac.uk
• STEPS Centre Summer  School ‘Pathways To Sustainability’, 15-26 May, 2017: 
• STEPS Centre Seminar: The Role of Community Based Organizations and Associations in Co-management of Forests in Kenya, 12 May 2017 https://steps-centre.org/event/steps-seminar-charles-tonui-co-management-mangrove-forest-gazi-bay-kenya/
• STEPS Centre project visit: data analysis and writing working paper on Making ‘Mangroves Together’: Carbon, conservation and co-management in Gazi Bay, southern Coast, Kenya,  7-11 May 2017

STEPS Theory session and project visit, 06-14 April 2017:

• Investigating agricultural intensification through a pathways approach: Revisiting Green Revolution experiences and scoping potential sustainability transformations in Kenya
• STEPS Centre’s theory seminar on the concepts and methods of Technography, IDS,  7^th April 2017.

Conference presentations:

• Tonui. C, (2011) ‘Participatory video for monitoring and evaluation of community-based adaptation to climate change in Oyola and Wakesi village in Nyando basin in western Kenya’: Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference: Community Based Adaptation, pp 16. IIED Portal.
• Tonui, C, Wakhungu, J, Nyukuri, E, Nanduddu, S & Ongor, D (2010) ‘Flood & drought management strategies in the case of Oyola & Wakesi community & participatory video for participatory monitoring & evaluation in Kenya & lived experience: adaptation to climate change in Gongonyo Sub-County, Pallisa District, Uganda’: Proceedings of Fourth International Conference on Community-Based Adaptation, pp 78 & 79. IIED Portal.

1. European Union funded SALSA (Small Farms, Small Food Businesses and Sustainable Food Security), 2016-2020, (global) http://www.salsa.uevora.pt/
2. UKAID-UKRI funded Integrating Hydro-Climate Science into Policy Decisions for Climate-Resilient Infrastructure and Livelihoods (HyCRISTAL) in East Africa project, 2015-2021
3. European Commission funded Trade in Environmental Technologies in East Africa Project implemented by ACTS in cooperation with the Environment and Trade Hub under the UN Environment and UNEP DTU Partnership, Denmark, October 2017-June 2018, (East Africa)
4. The Africa Sustainability Hub projects funded by the UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) through STEPS Centre, University of Sussex:

• Exploring marketization and sustainability transformations in the context of mangrove afforestation, reforestation and restoration (ARR) programmes in Kenya, June 2016-March 2017;
• Transforming Energy Access-Energy Capacity Needs in Africa (ASH-LCEDN) collaborative project funded by DFID, 2017-2018
• Investigating agricultural intensification through a pathways approach: Revisiting Green Revolution experiences and scoping potential sustainability transformations in Kenya, July 2016-March 2017
• Transformative Pathways to Sustainability: Learning across Disciplines, Contexts and Cultures, 2016-2017 funded by the International Social Science Council (ISSC) through the STEPS Centre UK

5. UK’ Department for International Development (DfID)-East Africa Research Fund (EARF) funded project: The Role of Regional Infrastructure in Promoting Green Economies in the East African Community (EAC), September 2016-May 2018, (East Africa) Report: https://www.gov.uk/dfid-research-outputs/the-role-of-regional-infrastructure-in-promoting-green-economic-growth-in-the-east-african-community-eac (outputs: Report, Policy Brief & Dissemination Workshop) Policy Brief: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5b05668aed915d70c48aaebc/EARF_policy-brief-3.29.18.pdf
6. The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands funded 3R Kenya (Resilient, Robust and Reliable – from Aid to Trade) project, January 1st, 2016-December, 31st, 2019 funded by the Wageningen University (WUR), Netherlands 2016-2018. 3R-Kenya Project, Activity 3: Climate Resilient Horticulture Sector, April 2017-October 2018, (Kenya)
7. A Baseline Study for the Green and Inclusive Energy Programme in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania (HIVOS, 2016)
8. The Ninth International Conference on Community Based Adaptation to Climate Change (CBA9), Nairobi, Kenya, 23^rd-30^th April, 2015. Key expected output: CBA book to be launched in April 2016.
9. The High Level Policy Roundtables towards CBA9, Kenya and UNFCCC COP 21, Paris, France: parliamentarian, negotiators, private sector and youth roundtable: Outputs: policy brief & working papers shared at the UNFCCC COP21

10. The World Bank’ InfoDev funded East African Climate Innovation Network (EACIN-) 2012-2013, which mapped approximately 400 climate innovations and technologies, entrepreneurs and stakeholders contributing to green and climate resilient economies in the East Africa.
11. The Canada’s IDRC/UK’s DFID funded ‘Community-Based Adaptation to Climate Change in Africa (CBAA)’ project in 8 African countries, 2008-2011; played critical role in undertaking vulnerability assessment and piloting and scaling up of the community based adaptation strategies including transfer of micro water irrigation technologies and renewable energy technologies to the poor and vulnerable communities. (Africa)
12. The Baseline Study for the Green and Inclusive Energy Programme in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania (HIVOS, 2016).(East Africa)
13. Final Evaluation of SAIOMA (Strengthening Agricultural Input and Output Markets in Africa) Program in Kenya funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) & Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (2016).
14. Capacity Strengthening in the Least Developed Countries on Adaptation to Climate Change (CLACC), 2005-2014); Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) funded Climate Compatible Development (CCD), Food Security and National Climate Change Response Strategy, 2011-2013.(Global)
15. UNDP/Adelphi’ SEED Award Winners Support initiative: 7 Entrepreneurs supported to develop business plans using triple-bottom planning, January-August, 2012(Kenya)
16. The World Bank funded International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD), 2004-2009.(Global)
17. The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) funded Lifelong Learning for Livelihoods for Farmers (L3F) and environment, 2009-2010. (Kenya)

• Active Observer and panellist at past UNFCCC COPs:

1. COP25, Madrid, Spain: Conference of the Parties Twenty-fifth session Madrid, 2–13 December 2019 Part of of ACTS delegation, page 216;
2. COP24, Katowice, Poland, 2–14 December 2018: Panellist at the Climate Law and Governance Day’ Roundtable: A Climate Law & Policy Capacity-Building Agenda – Supporting Paris Agreement Implementation,  (See report); Panellist at COP24: (Part of ACTS delegation)
3. COP23, Bonn, Germany, 6^th -17^th November 2017: Active Observer at the UNFCCC COP23 and Panellist at the ‘Catalysing Climate Action, Realizing the SDGs: Science, Interconnections and Implementation’.
4. COP22, Marrakesh, Morocco, 7^th -18^th November 2016: Active Observer and Granted Party Overflow Accreditation by the Government of Kenya through the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Regional Development. Launched of a Book ‘Enhancing Adaptation to Climate Change in Developing Countries through Community Based Adaptation’

 

1. International Network of Climate Change Centres of Excellence and Think-Tanks for Capacity Building (INCCCETT 4CB)
2. Community of Practice (CoP) member:

• 'Making Cities Resilient-UNDRR’
• Global Landscapes Forum https://www.globallandscapesforum.org/
• UNCDF Digital Transformation Community transformation.EN@uncdf.dgroups.io:
• Community of Practice in Data-Driven Agronomy. The Communities of Practice are part of the CGIAR Platform for Big Data in Agriculture