dr. KJ (Kayin) Venner

Kayin Venner is a social-environmental scientist with a keen research interest in urban green governance, climate adaptation, and equity. As a postdoctoral researcher at Wageningen University, he works on the NATURO project, focusing on co-creation processes in urban green governance. A recipient of the La Caixa Fellowship (2021 cohort), his PhD research at BC3 and ICTA-UAB examined how socio-political factors shape municipal access to adaptation funding and finance, and how these dynamics contribute to inter- and intra-urban inequities in adaptation. Drawing on critical urban geography, political ecology, and urban planning, his work explores how urban governance—particularly in green space planning and climate adaptation—can become more participatory and promote spatially equitable outcomes. He is dedicated to developing practical tools and actionable recommendations to achieve these goals. He has published in top-ranked journals, presented at over five international conferences, and has experience organizing and moderating seminars. He is an affiliate of the Barcelona Lab for Urban Environmental Justice and Sustainability (BCNUEJ).

Beyond academia, he has been involved in various grassroots initiatives, including the Let’s Talk About Climate Change Meetup Group in Barcelona (2023), Zero Waste Jerez (2021)—and the Aan de Slag campaign in the Netherlands (2016). He was a longtime member of the Young Worldconnectors and also served as secretary of Hellingproef, the young scientific bureau of the Green Left.

If you would like to collaborate or are interested in his work and would like to know more, feel free to contact him.