Patrick Verkooijen

Patrick V. D. J. Verkooijen (born May 21, 1969) is the CEO of the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) and the Chancellor of the University of Nairobi.^[1][2][3][4]

Verkooijen previously managed the Global Commission on Adaptation, launched by Ban Ki-Moon and co-led by Kristalina Georgieva and Bill Gates.^[5][6] Prior to this role, he was the World Bank Special Representative for Climate Change.^[7]

Verkooijen is the Distinguished Chair of The Wangari Maathai Institute for Peace and Environmental Studies at the University of Nairobi,^[8] and the Ban Ki-moon Chair on Climate Adaptation Governance at the University of Groningen.^[9]

Verkooijen holds a PhD from Wageningen University, an MPA from Harvard University, a Master of Science degree in Social and Political Philosophy from the University of Amsterdam, and an environmental engineering degree from HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht.

In 2024, Verkooijen was appointed by William Ruto, President of Kenya, as Chancellor of the University of Nairobi.^[10]

On the evening of March 18, 2025, Kenyan President William Ruto and First Lady Rachel Ruto hosted a state banquet at State House in Nairobi in honor of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands. After finishing his opening speech, President Ruto, contrary to protocol, then introduced Verkooijen as a surprise speaker rather than acknowledging his guest, the Dutch king, who was visibly surprised. Verkooijen then proceeded to give a 7.5-minute speech in which he extolled the accomplishments of Ruto, drawing criticism for ongoing human rights abuses in Kenya and the questionable involvement of the Kenyan President herein.^[11][12] During a press conference on the last day of the state visit, the king didn't comment on the content of Verkooijens speech, instead he stressed that although the Netherlands would continue to follow established protocol, other nations were free to do otherwise.^[13] The Dutch state broadcaster NOS reported that Verkooijen's actions caused great irritation within Dutch government circles.^[14]

In October 2025, the Verkooijen-led Global Center on Adaptation was the subject of a major controversy involving fabricated and exaggerated results. Over a period of six months, NOS, the Dutch public broadcaster, investigated the Global Center on Adaptation, speaking with more than 70 individuals involved both domestically and internationally. In addition, hundreds of documents were reviewed, finding and concluding that the GCA was taking credit for other people’s work.^[15] NOS claims the GCA exaggerated its own contributions to projects, with Verkooijen’s office claiming to have initiated $25 billion in investments, which supposedly benefited more than 82.5 million people and created jobs for 900,000 people, while operating on an annual budget of just €23 million. NOS further urges that GCA falsely claimed to be part of at least 18 World Bank projects citing statements from the World Bank that there are no records of the GCA's involvement in any projects.^[15] The NOS spoke with more than 20 former employees of the GCA, claiming that Verkooijen personally exerted pressure to exaggerate results in order to secure donor funding.^[15] Verkooijen also claimed that Norway and Denmark would be increasing their support for the GCA in the near future, despite both countries denying this.^[15]

• Center for International Environment and Resource Policy
• United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development
• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change