Introducing CDKN and its evolving online strategy. Updated September 2013

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Introducing CDKN

and its evolving

online strategy

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Climate and Development Knowledge Network | www.cdkn.org 2

• Introducing CDKN

• Our knowledge sharing approach

• Our evolving online strategy

• Improving access to knowledge

• Looking ahead

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Climate and Development Knowledge Network | www.cdkn.org 3  Mission is to support decision-makers in delivering ‘climate compatible development’

 Main elements: Research, Technical Assistance, knowledge sharing, partnerships & support to climate negotiators

 Managed by Alliance of 6 organisations in 4 continents

 $100m from British and Dutch Governments over 2010 to 2015  After 3 years > 100 projects in > 20 countries

 Demand-led approach, emphasis on engagement, participation and capacity-building

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CDKN takes a holistic,

development-led, focus in all its work

Our definition:

‘Climate compatible development’ means

development that minimises the harm caused by climate impacts, while maximising the many human

development opportunities presented by a low

emissions, more resilient, future

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What we are trying to achieve

Changes in the quality of life for

people most challenged by the effects of climate

change Changes in the ability of

decision makers to leverage and channel CCD resources

strategically Changes in quality

relevance and usability of CCD evidence base

Changes in co-ordination, collaboration and mobilisation amongst key CCD stakeholders Changes in the

understanding and commitment of decision makers around CCD issues

Changes in institutions and institutional capacity to respond appropriately to CCD needs and

demands Changes in the quality of life for people most effected by climate change This is our ‘theory of change’

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Our knowledge sharing approach

• Our key audience are developing country

decision-makers, and those who advise and influence them (including policy advisors, researchers, donor agencies, other knowledge brokers, the media)

• Our early analysis showed there is already a very crowded information marketplace, but there are still many gaps

and weaknesses

• A key conclusion was that CDKN should NOT be trying to set up the definitive climate and development portal

• It is more effective to work with, and through, others • And focus our efforts on where we can make the most

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The crowded knowledge marketplace

Amongst the hundreds of websites

covering climate change, there are many good sources. But:

• It’s hard to know where to start and what to trust

• There are key gaps, particularly in presenting Southern knowledge

•We are suffering from portal proliferation syndrome

•Many initiatives are fragile and isolated, and lack sustainable funding

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Our evolving online strategy

• The CDKN website is a key component in our overall Knowledge Management & Communication strategy

(alongside our publications programme, media work, events, etc.)

• We are generating new knowledge and learning through our research, technical assistance, and work with climate negotiators, and wish to communicate this widely

• But we also wish to connect our users to the best available knowledge elsewhere

• It is a moving target – in the past 3 years, technology has moved on and social media have gained ground

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CDKN Website: work in progress

• Site went live in November 2010 and has been through several iterations since

• We’re running off a WordPress platform - Aptivate have recently taken over as our hosting and technical partners • We have regional and thematic homepages, and a Spanish

language version, each with customised content • It is managed from London, with regional sub-sites

managed by team members in Cape Town, Lima (SPDA), and Islamabad

• Editorial work in London is handled by a communications specialists Martineau & Co.

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Key content partnerships

Rather than trying to do everything ourselves, we’ve developed a number of key content partnerships:

• Eldis - provide a feed of latest research summaries and other

recommended reading

• IPS, ThomsonReuters/Alertnet and Wren Media – provide

media articles on climate and development • OneClimate – provide video content

• Reegle – offer their clean energy search facility, which has

been extended to cover the full spectrum of climate and development

Content from each partner is now feeding onto our website in a context specific way so relevant material appears in each section

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Climate and Development Knowledge Network | www.cdkn.org 12 • Around 12,000 visitors/mo • 45% from developing countries • 91% of respondents in a

recent survey rate site as ‘useful’ or ‘very useful’

• 5000+ newsletter subscribers (20% open rate) • 2100 Twitter followers • 985 Facebook likes

Some stats

Lessons:

• Building user numbers up is hard work – but

the hard work pays off

• Keeping a steady flow of quality content is key • Social media are important traffic drivers

(Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn all in top 5 referrers

• Current opportunities (funding and jobs) – are

our most popular single pages, but the news and resources section get the most overall traffic

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Encouraging collaboration between climate

knowledge brokers

• CDKN has a broader interest in improving the ‘knowledge infrastructure’ within the climate and development sector

• We want to encourage closer collaboration between other online ‘knowledge brokers’ working with climate and development

information

• The Climate Knowledge Brokers Workshop, in Eschborn, in June 2011, was a first step in this direction. It was repeated in 2012. • A “CKB” Community of Practise has emerged from this and has

been active since – see the shared CKB website for details

• CDKN issued a funding call for collaborative projects in autumn 2011 – 7 projects were funded

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Seven collaborative projects

Seven projects were supported, all involving consortia of several knowledge brokers:

• Automated content tagging API (led by REEEP)

• Climate Knowledge Navigator (led by IDS)

• User group analysis (led by IISD)

• Linking stakeholders to integrated climate data (led by CSAG)

• Integrating global and regional portals (led by WeAdapt)

• InfoAmazonia GeoJournalism Project (led by Internews)

• Empowering and connecting journalists in Latin America (led by Ecosystems marketplace)

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The 7 projects involve 16 online initiatives in total

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Looking ahead - priorities

• Supporting better decision making at country level: all our online efforts are geared to assisting this

• Capturing and sharing learning: this is a growing focus for CDKN as lessons emerge from country experience

• Sharpening our thematic focus: we will concentrate increasingly on four outcome areas (climate & development planning, climate finance, disaster risk reduction, and support to climate negotiators)

• Putting social media to work: using Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn & YouTube to reach new users and drive traffic to our website

• Nurturing collaboration between knowledge brokers: CDKN is keen to build on the momentum of the Climate Knowledge

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Climate and Development Knowledge Network | www.cdkn.org 17 • Our thinking is evolving

• CDKN is keen to learn from other initiatives • We can do this better, if we join forces!

Key contacts:

Geoff Barnard, KM Strategy Advisor – [email protected]

Mairi Dupar, Global Public Affairs Coordinator –

[email protected]

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This document is an output from a project funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) for the benefit of developing countries. However, the views expressed and information contained in it are not

necessarily those of or endorsed by DFID, which can accept no responsibility for such views or information or for any reliance placed on them. This publication has been prepared for general guidance on matters of interest only, and does not constitute professional advice. You should not act upon the information contained in this publication without obtaining specific professional advice. No representation or warranty (express or implied) is given as to the accuracy or completeness of the information contained in this publication, and, to the extent permitted by law, the Climate and Development Knowledge Network’s members, the UK Department for International Development (‘DFID’), their advisors and the authors and distributors of this publication do not accept or assume any liability, responsibility or duty of care for any consequences of you or anyone else acting, or refraining to act, in reliance on the information contained in this publication or for any decision based on it.