Kudakwashe Manyanga
ESG & Human Rights Due Diligence Advisor
ESG & Modern Slavery Strategy, Risk, Compliance
Kudakwashe Manyanga is a leading African climate finance expert with over a decade of experience shaping policy, driving carbon market innovation, and supporting climate resilience for vulnerable communities. He is Co-Founder and CEO of the Africa Institute for Carbon Trading and CEO of the Grow a Tree Foundation, a non-profit focused on community-based environmental solutions.
Kudakwashe formerly served as Principal Climate Change Scientist for Zimbabwe and was the country’s UNFCCC focal point under Article 12 of the Paris Agreement.
He was Global Co-Chair of the UNFCCC Clean Development Mechanism DNA Forum
(2019–2022) and continues to advise African governments on Article 6 implementation, carbon credit frameworks, and clean energy finance.
He has contributed to Zimbabwe’s Nationally Determined Contributions, led national baseline studies, and co-authored UNICEF’s child-friendly climate policy book. Kudakwashe brings deep expertise in carbon credit trading, REDD+, ESG strategy,
and environmental impact assessments, with a strong focus on aligning carbon markets with community impact.
He holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies, an M.Sc. in Development Studies and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Climate Change and Social Transformation at Rhodes University.
Known for combining deep policy knowledge with a commitment to community-driven change, Kudakwashe helps organisations and governments navigate climate finance, carbon markets, and ESG risk to drive fair and practical climate action.
