18 March 2024, Apia, Samoa - Critical and often time-sensitive decision-making is crucial for Pacific Islands on the frontlines of climate change impacts. These challenges experienced, amongst others, shaped the discussions during a two-day workshop on Knowledge Brokerage Tools from 13 – 14 March 2024, organised and facilitated by the Pacific Climate Change Centre (PCCC), hosted at the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme, in partnership with the Australia Pacific Climate Alumni Network (APCAN).
The workshop was attended by representatives from various Divisions of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE), including the Samoa Meteorological Division, as well as representatives from the Land Transport Authority (LTA), Samoa Red Cross, the Planning and Urban Management Agency (PUMA), and the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO).
Mr Moafanua Tolusina Pouli, Assistant CEO for Forestry Division, MNRE reminded participants that “knowledge brokers play an important role in bridging the science-policy gap. The importance of the work done by knowledge brokers lies with the people and the partnerships that they bring to the table to be able to support the delivery of time-sensitive, relevant, and actionable information and knowledge to decision-makers at all levels,” he said.
During the workshop, participants broadened their knowledge on the foundation and theoretical aspects of knowledge brokerage, gaining a deeper appreciation for a more structured approach to everyday They delved into two key knowledge brokerage tools that support project coordination and learning – Governance Mapping and Participatory Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning.
Participants also worked strategically in mixed teams on a theoretical project to understand the potential governance systems in the Samoan context, including who makes decisions, what their powers and responsibilities are, how they exercise them, and some barriers and challenges to such systems.
Participatory Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) is especially designed to support interdisciplinary teams identify their partners, beneficiaries, and funders, to name a few, and to continually review an activity or process, outputs, outcomes, and impacts, or a combination of these.
During her welcoming remarks, Ms ‘Ofa Ma’asi-Kaisamy, PCCC Manager, said: “Our Governments, our communities need information and knowledge that is presented in user-friendly formats to be able to make those critical decisions that affect our Pacific livelihoods and to further catalyse climate action. The PCCC is also designed to be that broker, or bridge, between the producers and users of climate change information.”
The workshop was a result of a direct request from the Chief Executive Officer MNRE to the PCCC, SPREP in February 2024 following the participation and continued interest in the topic of knowledge brokerage by two representatives from MNRE who attended the PCCC Sub-Regional Workshop for Polynesia in May 2023 in Nadi, Fiji.
The basis for the information and knowledge shared during this workshop, as well as sub-regional and national workshops held in 2023, were derived from training manuals designed to support Pacific knowledge brokers in advancing climate action and decision-making.
The Knowledge Brokerage Support Program (KBSP) Vol I and Vol II manuals were developed in partnership by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), the Australia Pacific Climate Partnership (APCP), the Pacific Climate Change Centre (PCCC), and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) in 2023.
For more information, please contact [email protected].
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The Pacific Climate Change Centre (PCCC) is the regional Centre of excellence for climate change information, research, capacity building, and innovation, hosted at the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) in Apia, Samoa. As a Centre of excellence, the PCCC is mandated to provide practical information, support, and training to address the adaptation and mitigation priorities of Pacific Island communities.
The PCCC is underpinned by strong partnerships with Pacific Governments, applied research institutions, donors, civil society, and the private sector. The PCCC is a partnership between the Governments of Japan and Samoa. It is funded under grant aid through JICA for Samoa as the host country of SPREP. Additionally, the Centre receives generous funding and support from the Governments of New Zealand, Ireland, and Australia.