Workshop report - weADAPT

Climate Knowledge Brokers Workshop 2013
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What are we learning
The aim of this session was to share what we have learned over the past year. We divided
into groups to explore these four questions:
1. How has the environment changed
2. What approaches have been most successful
3. Where have we made mistakes
4. What have we learned as a CKB community
Each question was allocated a pin board. Groups noted down lessons learned and their
implications on cards, then moved round to add their thoughts to the next board. After the
fourth rotation, groups were asked to sum up what they felt the messages were for the CKB
Group as a whole; the ‘so what’ question. It was a rich discussion. Some of the main points
raised are summarised below.
How has the environment changed
Participants noted a number of shifts in the working environment for CKBs. The most
prominent have been:
Technology – innovations like tablets, apps and mobile phones have impacted the way we
conceptualise and deliver knowledge. Mobile phones, in particular, are gaining rapid uptake
in the developing world, making it possible to access a wider pool of stakeholders. But
questions remain. What is the best information format Should we take a ‘mobile first
approach’ Despite increased mobile phone penetration, is the information-gap widening due
to the faster rate of technology adoption in the developed world
Funding – While access to funding has been getting increasingly difficult for CKBs, the last
year has been characterised by a perceived shift of funding from global programmes to more
regional and national level initiatives. As part of this, funders are looking for different types of
south-south and south-north partnerships. Establishing these new alliances is a priority for
CKBs but will require significant investment of time.
Scales of delivery – There has been an expansion of regional and national platforms.
Stakeholders are maturing and have started demanding more tailored information. While this
trend is desirable in many ways, it requires adequate local capacity and long-term funding.
With content more dispersed it also becomes harder to aggregate and analyse, pointing to
the need for data sharing standards and good practice. This raises questions about the future
role of global platforms in a more decentralised information world.
So what
A) Global and Regional Platforms should coordinate better:
Clarify ‘who should do what’ and link to each other more effectively.
Use the same data sets to develop information tailored to user needs.
Tagging open datasets will help to streamline this effort.
B) Work on developing innovative ways to reach, engage and encourage your audience to
share information:
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