Climate Policy Initiative Launched at Duke

The Sanford School receives $1 million from HPS and Kapnick Foundation to establish climate initiative in Southeast Asia

A new Duke University initiative will provide opportunities to study and share climate solutions in Southeast Asia, with the possibility of expansion to other regions. Duke University has received $1 million in funds from HPS Investment Partners and the Kapnick Foundation to establish the Climate Dialogue & Innovation Initiative: Southeast Asia and the World in the Sanford School of Public Policy, announced Interim Dean Manoj Mohanan.

“We are grateful for the support to our school and faculty. This initiative demonstrates how Sanford is responding to climate change with groundbreaking research bridging science and policy, aligned with the Duke Climate Commitment,” Mohanan said. “It is a prime example of Sanford’s expertise in energy and environment policy and international development policy – two of our themes focusing on global challenges.”

With long coastlines and extensive low-lying areas, Southeast Asia is particularly vulnerable to extreme weather and rising sea levels caused by global warming. By focusing on one of the most vulnerable regions of the world, a primary goal of this initiative will be to identify and showcase promising climate solutions in Southeast Asia – combining innovation and impact, says faculty member and project lead Jonathan Stromseth, who is a foreign policy and development expert and scholar on U.S. Asia policy. Before joining Sanford in 2024 as a professor of the practice, Stromseth worked at the Brookings Institution from 2017 as a senior fellow and the Lee Kuan Yew Chair in Southeast Asian Studies. Previously, he served on the Secretary of State’s Policy Planning Staff (2014-17), advising the State Department’s leadership on China and Southeast Asia.

“Southeast Asia has become a crucial testing ground for climate innovations, yet current efforts are often limited to country-level action, with limited exposure, collaboration, or exchange of effective practices,” Stromseth said. “By highlighting the most promising approaches and startups in this dynamic region, our initiative seeks to connect entrepreneurs, NGOs, researchers, and investors in unique ways to advance climate policy solutions. The two-year initiative is designed to encourage local experimentation, catalyze innovative climate approaches, and link emerging climate actors and entrepreneurs with sources of financing and investment in Southeast Asia and the broader Asia-Pacific region.”

CEO of HPS Investment Partners, Scott Kapnick, said “HPS Investment Partners and the Kapnick Foundation are pleased to support this critical initiative which will help further the use of research in advancing the dialogue on climate in an important part of the world. Duke University, with the Sanford School, is uniquely positioned to lead this work.”

Key activities of the initiative include:

• research to identify innovative climate approaches and startups in Southeast Asia.

• data visualization and knowledge-sharing products about climate innovations and related financial flows.

• innovation awards to climate entrepreneurs, highlighting their work for potential investors.

• a conference in Singapore to showcase research outcomes and promising innovations.

The Duke Center for International Development (DCID) within Sanford will implement the initiative in collaboration with research institutions in Singapore and around the region. DCID will also coordinate with Duke Kunshan University and Duke in DC to facilitate exchange and dialogue between climate experts under this project.

“This funding positions DCID as a leading voice in tackling the pressing sustainable development challenges posed by rapid growth in Southeast Asia. I am particularly thrilled by the project’s focus on promoting innovative solutions to mitigate climate change and the data visualization portal that will allow leaders and practitioners from other states to follow and learn from Southeast Asia’s experience,” DCID Director Edmund Malesky said.

The long-term goal will be to apply the learnings from the initiative to other areas of the world, Stromseth said.