Prof. Benard Muok is a distinguished climate change scholar, renewable energy expert, public policy specialist, and senior public servant with over three decades of leadership experience spanning government, academia, international development, research, and policy advocacy. He is the Founder and first Executive Director of the Climate Change Adaptation Evidence Hub (CCAEH), a pioneering institution established to address one of the most critical gaps in global climate action — the systematic documentation, generation, and dissemination of evidence on climate change adaptation and resilience-building.
Prof. Muok founded the Climate Change Adaptation Evidence Hub with a visionary understanding that while climate adaptation interventions are increasingly being implemented globally, there remains inadequate documentation of what works, where it works, why it works, and how communities can learn from adaptation experiences. His vision was to create a globally recognized African institution dedicated to collecting, analyzing, documenting, and sharing evidence on climate adaptation, resilience, climate justice, governance, renewable energy transitions, and sustainable livelihoods. The organization seeks to bridge the persistent gap between research, policy, and practice by ensuring that communities, governments, researchers, development partners, and practitioners have access to practical and evidence-based climate adaptation knowledge.
Under his leadership, the Climate Change Adaptation Evidence Hub has evolved into a unique platform promoting locally-led adaptation, climate governance, climate finance, ecosystem restoration, renewable energy transition, and resilience-building across Africa and beyond. The Hub integrates research, policy development, multimedia storytelling, knowledge management, and community engagement to amplify adaptation experiences from vulnerable communities while influencing national, regional, and global climate policy processes.
Prof. Muok currently serves as the County Secretary and Head of Public Service for Homa Bay County Government, where he leads governance reforms, public sector transformation, performance management systems, and strategic policy development. He is also a Professor of Climate Change, Natural Resource Management, and Renewable Energy at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST), where he previously served as Director of Research, Innovation and Partnerships.
Previously, Prof. Muok served as Executive Director of the African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS), one of Africa’s leading climate and policy think tanks, where he secured over EUR 20 million in institutional funding and elevated ACTS into one of the top global climate think tanks. He also played a leading role in designing and implementing major international climate and clean energy programmes across Africa and Asia, including the Policy Innovation Systems for Clean Energy Security (PISCES) programme funded by the UK Department for International Development (DfID).
A globally respected climate adaptation expert, Prof. Muok has led and advised numerous climate resilience, renewable energy, environmental governance, and policy initiatives funded by organizations including the African Development Bank (AfDB), World Bank, FAO, IFAD, UNDP, DfID, WWF, Christian Aid, Practical Action, SNV, AGRA, CARE International, and county governments across Kenya.
His academic qualifications include a Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Climate Change and Renewable Energy from the University of Edinburgh, a PhD in Tropical Agriculture specializing in climate change adaptation in arid and semi-arid lands from Kyoto Prefectural University in Japan, an MSc in Forestry, and a BSc in Forestry. He is also an accomplished author with numerous international publications on climate adaptation, renewable energy, governance, natural resource management, and resilience.
In recognition of his transformative contribution to climate governance, renewable energy, public administration, and sustainable development, Prof. Muok was awarded the prestigious Order of the Grand Warrior of Kenya (OGW) by the President of the Republic of Kenya in 2023.
Today, Prof. Benard Muok continues to champion evidence-driven climate adaptation, community resilience, climate justice, and sustainable development, positioning Africa at the forefront of global climate solutions through the Climate Change Adaptation Evidence Hub.
