GGKP Strategic Plan and Work Programme

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1 GGKP Strategic Plan and Work Programme

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3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 3 Mission 7 Guiding Principles 8 Theory of Change 9 GGKP Work Programme - Knowledge Generation 10 GGKP Work Programme - Knowledge Management 14 GGKP Work Programme - Knowledge Sharing 19 Monitoring and Evaluation 24 Resource Mobilisation 26 Governance and Operating Principles 28

4 INTRODUCTION There is an increasing recognition by governments, the private sector, and civil society that achieving sustainable development will only come about through changing current economic thinking, policies, and decision making on production and consumption practices and lifestyles. The UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) affirmed the concept of a green economy as a powerful pathway for fostering economic growth and development while preserving the natural assets on which our future well-being relies. In order to mobilise the transition to a green economy, it is crucial that policymakers and practitioners have cutting-edge knowledge at their disposal. The Green Growth Knowledge Platform (GGKP) was established in 2012, in the months leading up to the Rio+20 Conference, on the basis that investing in knowledge generation and sharing leads to lasting impact. Founded by the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the World Bank, the GGKP has since expanded to a global partnership of over 40 international organisations, research institutes, and think tanks. The GGKP works with these partners to initiate and coordinate green growth analysis and learning under the shared understanding that the partners are more impactful when they combine their efforts and expertise. What is Green Growth? Green growth means fostering economic growth and development while ensuring that natural assets continue to provide the resources and environmental services on which our well-being relies. Importantly, green growth does not neglect the social pillar; on the contrary, without good governance, transparency, and equity, no transformative growth strategy can succeed. 03

5 Introduction Start-up Phase With the establishment of the GGKP Secretariat in Geneva, Switzerland, the launching of a world-class web platform, the organisation of three successful international annual conferences, and the release of close to 30 research papers, the GGKP has established itself as a global leader in green growth knowledge over its first three years of operation. The GGKP has gained recognition for emphasising a practical orientation for research, grounded in the belief that the best policy advice emerges from close collaboration among researchers, practitioners, and policymakers. The GGKP has further catalysed action by facilitating access to the best available research, data, and tools. To focus its efforts, the GGKP has divided its activities into three key work streams: knowledge generation, knowledge management, and knowledge sharing. As part of its knowledge generation work stream, the GGKP launched four research committees on the priority themes of fiscal instruments, trade and competitiveness, metrics and indicators, and technology and innovation. Involving over 60 global experts, these research committees have been working to identify and prioritise critical knowledge gaps. By drawing together a rich group of experts from across its knowledge partner organisations and Advisory Committee, the GGKP has promoted collaborative and impactful research which bridges across disciplines, sectors, and regions. The GGKP s knowledge management work stream is centred around the development of its state-of-the-art web platform, Launched in January 2014 to connect policymakers and practitioners to the knowledge products required to support a green economy transition, the web platform has grown to encompass the world s largest dedicated collection of green growth knowledge products, including, among other things, a searchable library with over 1,000 technical and policy resources from leading institutions and experts, a repository of key green growth data, policies and projects for 193 countries, and 28 web pages on key green growth sectors and themes. Finally, through a focus on knowledge sharing, the GGKP has facilitated the growth and engagement of a dynamic green growth community, through both in-person and online activities. The GGKP s main community building event is its annual conference, hosted by its founding partners on a rotating basis. The World Bank, OECD, and UNEP held the first three conferences, and GGGI will hold the fourth conference in Other in-person activities have included two regional green growth workshops, inperson meetings of the GGKP research committees, and sessions and side events at relevant international conferences. The GGKP also conducts online outreach efforts through social media, blogs, webinars, and video interviews. 04

6 Introduction Looking Ahead > The GGKP was established during a period of great momentum leading up to the convening of the Rio+20 Conference. Since then, the global discourse on green growth and green economy has evolved and matured and the concepts are gaining traction in national-level projects, policies and global initiatives. The global community is now entering a period of new international commitments related to the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and national efforts to address climate change under the UNFCCC s Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) process. Aligned with the objectives of the GGKP, the SDGs endorse the importance of promoting sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth (SDG 8), highlight the need to ensure sustainable production and consumption patterns (SDG 12) and call for the strengthening of global partnerships to mobilise and share knowledge and expertise (SDG 17). These new international commitments will shape the global and national agendas related to green growth and sustainable development for the next decade. In light of these developments, the GGKP s objectives of encouraging widespread collaboration, addressing knowledge and data gaps, and supporting practitioners and policymakers with the latest analysis and data are more relevant and necessary than ever. Moreover, given its focus on collecting relevant green growth data and information on projects and national policies, the GGKP will be able to provide information relevant to the implementation of the SDGs and INDCs. The GGKP s first three years were focused on launching the initiative, establishing its core work areas, developing a robust web platform, and building a global partnership of leading green growth institutions. The GGKP s next three years will focus on maximising its impact by: establishing itself as the global leader in collaboratively translating, communicating, and addressing the knowledge and data needs of green growth practitioners and policymakers; significantly increasing outreach and engagement with developing country institutions and experts; producing synthesised reports and learning products that build on the GGKP s accumulated knowledge and data; promoting and supporting nationallevel green growth and green economy activities led by its partner organizations (including the development of national green growth development strategies, or more targeted activities to support, climate change resilience, eco-innovation or green jobs, among others; and expanding the frequency of in-person and virtual meetings in order to empower the green growth community to share knowledge and expertise. The GGKP measures the impact of its activities through the concrete actions taken by governments, institutions, and leading policymakers. The GGKP will continue to actively pursue its objectives of generating, managing and sharing world-class green growth knowledge in support of the green economy transition. 05

7 Introduction Strategic Focus for : Establish the GGKP as the global leader in collaboratively translating, communicating, and catalyzing action to address the knowledge and data needs of green growth practitioners and policymakers; Significantly increase outreach and engagement with developing country institutions and experts; Produce synthesised reports and learning products that build on the GGKP s accumulated knowledge and data; Promote and support national-level green growth and green economy activities led by its partner organizations, including those that support the implementation, monitoring, and reporting on relevant SDGs; and Expand the frequency of in-person and virtual meetings in order to empower the green growth community to share knowledge and expertise. 06

8 MISSION The GGKP is a global network of international organisations, research institutes, and experts focused on promoting a green economy transition by: 1. Identifying major knowledge gaps in green growth theory, policy, and practice and addressing these gaps by promoting collaboration and coordinated research; and 2. Using world-class knowledge management and communication tools to provide practitioners, policymakers, and other experts with opportunities to access, share, and utilize green growth policy analysis, guidance, lessons learned, information, and data. 07

9 GUIDING PRINCIPLES In line with its mission and consistent with its > effort to create lasting impact, the GGKP adheres to a number of guiding principles that guide and affirm its strategy and work programme. The six distinct guiding principles include: 1. Partnership-centred The transition to a green economy will only come about through the active engagement of numerous organisations and experts. This principle forms the core of the GGKP, driving forward its efforts to form partnerships with organisations and institutions active in areas related to green growth or green economy in order to expand the scope and depth of its impact. By engaging with a global and diverse group of Knowledge Partners, the GGKP is able to transcend the traditional divide between economy and the environment and extend its impact across borders and disciplines. Moreover, the effectiveness and impact of the partner institutions is enhanced by closely collaborating and coordinating in the development and dissemination of green growth research and other knowledge products. This collaboration helps to increase efficiencies, reduce redundancies, align thinking, and promote coordinated efforts across the GGKP partners. 2. Mission-led The GGKP has a shared mission across its partner institutions that provides the framework for its collaborative activities. The GGKP mission is based on the belief that knowledge leads to lasting impact and that investing in its generation, management, and dissemination leads to concrete results. 3. Responsive and demand-driven The GGKP offers an important opportunity to work through its network of partners to identify and respond to country-specific knowledge and data gaps that can support these changes. The GGKP can provide a bridge between policymakers and practitioners on the ground and the international research community to ensure research efforts and investments are relevant, effective, and have meaningful impact. The GGKP operates with the understanding that there is no one-size-fits-all solution for implementing green growth. Rather, specific guidance and knowledge products for policies and actions need to respond to the unique national priorities and circumstances of different countries and sectors. 4. Knowledge-based In order to mobilise the transition to a green economy, it is crucial that policymakers and practitioners have cutting-edge knowledge at their disposal. The GGKP s distinctive success is grounded in its ability to catalyse and communicate high quality research, facilitated by engagement with global experts. In drawing together leading experts to examine key knowledge gaps, the GGKP strives to trigger evidence-based technical research and support in-depth knowledge exchange across sectors and regions. 5. Community-focused The transition to a green economy requires solutions from large pools of expertise cutting across disciplines, sectors, and regions. The GGKP is committed to catalysing an international network of green growth experts to facilitate engagement, empower the sharing of best practices, and energise action. The transition to a green economy requires on-the-ground changes in policies and processes in both developed and developing countries. 08

10 Theory of Change > Demand for knowledge and data has been accurately identified and translated into concrete activities Clear and coherent strategic plan and work programme are developed based on consultation and co-development with Knowledge Partners and Advisory Committee Effective procurement and programming processes result in efficient transition from design to implementation Activities are structured, managed and implemented efficiently and effectively Indicators, targets, and results frameworks are actively monitored and used to adjust activities as needed Partners committed to and actively engage in work programme Synergies with partner activities and priorities are exploited Partners and research donors are motivated to address the knowledge gaps identified by the GGKP research committees Research and data synthesised by the GGKP is effectively communicated to practitioners and policymakers Practitioners and policymakers perceive the research and data to be useful and are motivated to make use of this information Partners are open and committed to collaboration and sharing knowledge through a robust green growth community of practice Partner institutions use GGKP knowledge and data in directly engaging national policymakers and practitioners through projects, capacity building activities, and other on-the-ground initiatives Policymakers directly use GGKP knowledge and data in the promotion of green growth policies and activities Assumptions 1) From Inputs to Activities: Assumptions 2) From Activities to Outputs: Assumptions 3) From Outputs to Outcomes: Assumptions 4) From Outcomes to Impact: Green growth community of practice Convene GGKP Annual Conferences Organise workshops, trainings, and side events Host a GGKP summer school Engage through social media Promote Insights blog Produce newsletters Host webinars Lead outreach campaigns Develop and manage an Online Collaborative Workspace Partner in hosting an Ask an Expert service Knowledge exchange and interaction among green growth community of practice is facilitated through in-person events and web-based engagement GGKP Secretariat staff Advisory Committee members Knowledge Sharing Green growth research and data are synthesised and developed into targeted knowledge and capacity building products Policymakers and other actors use policy relevant green growth knowledge and data resources Knowledge Partners and experts Maintain and improve the GGKP web platform Develop synthesised knowledge products Support development of green growth capacity building products and services Policymakers and other relevant actors develop, adopt, and implement green growth policies and practices In-kind contributions from founding organisations (GGGI, OECD, UNEP and World Bank) - Steering Committee staff - Coordinator staff - Experts Knowledge Management GGKP web platform updated and populated with relevant green growth research, data, projects, learning resources, news, and events Practitioners, academics and other relevant actors identify, prioritise, and address gaps in green growth knowledge and data GGKP financing (core funding and programmatic funding from donors and partners) Resources Knowledge Generation Identify and prioritise green growth knowledge gaps Catalyse coordinated responses to address identified gaps Stimulate research on Annual Conference themes Produce joint publications on research priorities Knowledge gap analyses and research products produced collaboratively through the GGKP research committees and made widely accessible on the GGKP web platform Inputs Activities Outputs Outcomes Impact Theory of Change 09

11 GGKP WORK PROGRAMME: KNOWLEDGE GENERATION Overview The GGKP s knowledge generation work stream is focused on facilitating a collaborative process to identify major knowledge gaps in green growth theory and practice and then address these gaps by catalysing broader research agendas. At the core of the GGKP s knowledge generation work stream is the establishment of research committees on priority topics. Each research committee is formed around a particular theme, identified as being crucial in a green economy transition but where knowledge or data is lacking. The research committees are tasked with assessing the state of knowledge, identifying and prioritising knowledge gaps, and promoting a broader research agenda to address the identified gaps. In this sense, the GGKP is focused on catalysing research rather than doing research. The key to the success of the research committees is the focus on collaboration. The collaboration these committees trigger goes beyond the work within the committee itself and extends to complementary activities, such as jointly hosting events to launch the results or engaging in related research activities. As of mid-2015, the GGKP has established research committees, drawing together more than 60 experts, on four priority topics: Fiscal Instruments; Metrics and Indicators; Technology and Innovation; and Trade and Competitiveness. Three additional research committees on the topics of Inclusiveness (e.g., equity and green jobs), Behavioural Economics, and Green Growth and the Law will be launched before the end of In addition to its ongoing research committee efforts, each year the GGKP makes a dedicated push to stimulate research around the theme of its annual conference. This includes the establishment of a research committee to identify key gaps, catalyse initial research, and review papers from an open call for research. For instance, the GGKP s Fiscal Instruments research committee was established to support its Third Annual Conference, and resulted in the publication of six studies analysing various aspects of the theme, assessing the state of knowledge, and prioritising knowledge gaps. Moreover, the call for papers issued for the conference resulted in over 200 research submissions, 50 of which were selected for presentation at the conference. The annual conferences also provide an opportunity to highlight the work of the other GGKP research committees and to gain feedback on their efforts. Over the next three years, the GGKP will work to increasingly respond to country needs and establish additional research committees on priority topics using a demand-driven approach. The GGKP Secretariat will engage GGKP partners to identify green growth knowledge gaps and priority research topics, and then will work with each research committee to catalyse coordinated responses to address those gaps. For instance, the GGKP will link to the internal mechanisms being developed through GGGI to systematically identify country priorities, including research requests and other assistance. A key factor in the GGKP s success will be ensuring that relevant government research consortia and donors are actively involved throughout this process. Going forward, the GGKP will also actively explore opportunities to link its partners initiatives and deepen engagement, including 10

12 GGKP Work Programme - Knowledge Generation additional opportunities for joint publications between its partners on topics of common interest. In so doing, the GGKP aims to establish itself as the global leader in collaboratively translating, communicating, and addressing the knowledge and data needs of green growth practitioners. Knowledge Generation Activities The GGKP knowledge generation work stream consists of four main activities: i) identification and prioritisation of knowledge and data gaps related to green growth theory and practice; ii) development of a coordinated response to address the identified gaps; iii) research related to the GGKP Annual Conference themes; and iv) production of joint publications on research priorities among the GGKP Knowledge Partners. 1. Identify and Prioritise Green Growth Knowledge Gaps Through the establishment of research committees on priority topics, the GGKP draws together practitioners, policymakers, and academics to assess the state of knowledge and prioritise knowledge gaps. Each committee is made up of individual experts from across the GGKP Knowledge Partner organisations and Advisory Committee, as well as outside experts from academia, research institutes, and governments. In the past, each committee has had two Co- Chairs who are responsible for convening and chairing the research committee meetings. The GGKP Secretariat actively supports the Co-Chairs in carrying out their duties. The committees generally conduct their business through and teleconferences. When possible, in-person meetings are organised on the margins of conferences and workshops. GGKP Knowledge Partners, Advisory Committee members, and donors may propose the establishment of new GGKP research committees through the submission of research committee concept notes to the GGKP Steering Committee. Criteria for establishing a research committee, include: i) the importance of the topic to a green economy transition; ii) relevance of the topic to challenges faced in on-the-ground policy development and implementation; iii) preliminary evidence that there are knowledge gaps related to the topic that would benefit from the GGKP s efforts; and iv) existence of adequate financial and human resources to undertake the work. Once a research committee has been established, the principal deliverable for each research committee is a scoping study that identifies and prioritises gaps in knowledge on the particular theme and identifies the means and group of actors (e.g. international institutions; research institutes; academics) required to address the gaps. These outputs are published on the GGKP web platform and distributed at GGKP and related events. The research committees also provide an opportunity for the experts to engage with one another and spur other opportunities for collaboration and exchange. A number of other critical themes have been highlighted by partners and may become the focus of future research committee work, including: circular economy; resource efficiency; and natural resource management and governance. As new sets of questions emerge, the GGKP will respond by establishing additional research on priority topics, to deepen understanding on these issues and inform effective policy change. As noted in the next section, it is also anticipated that research committees will be dissolved once their work is finalized. 11

13 GGKP Work Programme - Knowledge Generation In order to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the committees work, over the next three years the GGKP will focus on: Proactively working with the GGKP Knowledge Partners, Steering Committee, and other partners to identify new priority research areas; Developing systematic processes for engaging partners and experts, through surveys and other means, to support the identification of knowledge and data gaps; Ensuring that research committees have balanced geographic representation and include at least one academic; Developing criteria to assist the committees in their prioritisation of knowledge gaps; Developing prioritised lists of research topics based on identified knowledge gaps; Ensuring that each Research Committee member is actively engaged in joint research and writing; Pursuing opportunities to publish research outputs in peer-reviewed academic journals to increase distribution and impact; and Encouraging the engagement of mainstream economists in the committees work to increase this community s understanding of green growth concepts and analysis. 2. Catalyse Coordinated Responses to Address Green Growth Knowledge Gaps Once gaps and priorities are identified, the GGKP Secretariat supports the research committees in developing collaborative and coordinated responses. These responses may take on many forms depending on the knowledge gaps identified. In cases where the steps needed to address the gaps are small or clearly defined, it is anticipated that the GGKP Steering Committee or Knowledge Partner organisations will conduct follow-up research directly. In cases where larger investments are needed (e.g., creation of global databases), the GGKP will work with the Co-Chairs and research committee members to develop research strategies, fundraising proposals, and terms of reference to catalyse support from existing research donor groups and expert networks. In some cases, the Co-Chairs and committee members may decide that further effort is unnecessary and the committee will dissolve. In other cases, the Co-Chairs and committee may decide there are other knowledge and data gaps that require a process of prioritisation and will refocus the committee work to this effort. The Co-Chairs and committee members are given wide latitude and flexibility to decide the appropriate stages of the committee s work. In 2015, the four pilot research committees initiated the process of developing their responses to the gaps identified. For instance, in June 2015 the Trade and Competitiveness research committee organised a meeting back-to-back with the OECD Joint Working Party on Trade and Environment to gain feedback on the outcomes of the knowledge gaps analysis. This feedback informed an inperson meeting of the research committee where preliminary steps for responding to the knowledge gaps were developed. Going forward, the GGKP plans to invest considerable time and effort to ensure coordinated responses are developed and implemented by: Supporting the research committees develop response roadmaps that detail the committees next steps in addressing the identified knowledge gaps; Preparing research strategies, fundraising proposals, and terms of reference to catalyse support from research donors and expert networks; 12

14 GGKP Work Programme - Knowledge Generation Developing and maintaining a roster of relevant research donors and consortia and organizing workshops with these groups to engage them on the identified knowledge gaps; Building relationships with relevant scientific journals and working with them to explore the creation of special issues around identified gaps; Liaising with relevant Knowledge Partners and other relevant organisations to explore opportunities for financing, addressing, and drawing attention to research needs; and Increasing outreach to academic partners and associations, particularly in developing countries, to explore the potential of working with Ph.D. students on potential research topics related to identified knowledge gaps. 3. Stimulate Research on Annual Conference Themes The GGKP Annual Conferences are used as a means to stimulate a global research agenda around specific green growth themes. Identification of these research themes triggers the organisation of a research committee dedicated to the theme. The research committee is tasked with the collaborative development of a series of papers analysing the annual theme, assessing the state of knowledge, identifying knowledge gaps, and recommending priority areas for future research. In some cases these papers are drafted by the GGKP partners and in other cases by outside authors contracted by the GGKP Secretariat. At the same time, the GGKP stimulates research around its annual conference themes by issuing dedicated calls for papers to the wider research community. By issuing calls for policy relevant research responding to the needs of countries on the ground, the GGKP is able to help bridge the academic and policy communities. Moreover, this model is a cost-effective way to stimulate new thinking on priority topics and deepen engagement with the research community, including young researchers. The papers commissioned and accepted through the open call are then presented at the GGKP Annual Conference and posted on the GGKP web platform with the aim of catalysing additional knowledge generation through engagement with the green growth policy community. The Annual Conference provides an opportunity for donors or research consortia to announce commitments for additional research support. Over the next three years, the GGKP plans to increase the impact of its annual conferences by: Publishing the studies as GGKP working papers on the GGKP web platform and exploring opportunities to publish the studies in Knowledge Partner publications (e.g. World Bank Working Paper series) or in peer-reviewed journals for broader dissemination; Working with partner organisations to identify annual conference themes at least two years in advance to maximise the potential for catalysing broad, collaborative research efforts; Ensuring opportunities exist within the annual conferences to discuss and disseminate the work of all the GGKP research committees; and Exploring opportunities for linking the annual conferences to training and capacity building activities. 4. Produce Joint Publications on Research Priorities The GGKP research programme also includes the opportunity for Knowledge Partners to collaborate in the production of joint publications. There are several advantages to developing joint publications, including increasing dialogue among institutions 13

15 GGKP Work Programme - Knowledge Management and experts, reducing overlap and redundancies in analytical work, and aligning thinking on key issues. In 2013, in preparation for the GGKP s Second Annual Conference, GGGI, OECD, UNEP, and the World Bank launched their first joint scoping paper, Moving Towards a Common Approach on Green Growth Indicators, under the auspices of the GGKP. This paper proved to be quite useful in aligning the thinking on indicators among the partnering institutions. Going forward, the GGKP will work to expand the development of joint publications among its partner institutions, including by linking up and deepening engagement with its partners major initiatives. Areas of potential common interest could include the development of green growth project level indicators; creation of a green fiscal policy guidance document; or opportunities for overcoming political economy challenges to fiscal policy reform. GGKP WORK PROGRAMME: KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT Overview The key objective of the GGKP s knowledge management work stream is to provide policymakers and practitioners with easy access to the knowledge products required to support a green economy transition. Numerous governments, intergovernmental organisations, research consortia, think tanks, and academic institutions are actively generating green growth knowledge products. The GGKP collects, manages, and shares this growing body of research, policy analysis, and data both to maximise its impact and to lay the foundation for collaboration and improved policy-making. In January 2014, the GGKP launched its stateof-the-art web platform ( to ensure that relevant knowledge is captured and transferred effectively across borders and disciplines. In its first year of operation, the web platform received a total of 69,621 visits (45,705 unique) amounting to 200,700 page views. In comparison, this was three times the number of visits received to the GGKP s initial website (launched in 2012). Growth rates in 2015 are projected to be even higher. In terms of geographical reach, the web platform receives visits from nearly every country around the world. Over the next three years, the GGKP will continue to invest resources to update and improve its web platform. Using evidence and feedback gathered through analytics and user surveys, the GGKP will refine or expand the sections and tools available through its web platform to ensure that the continually evolving needs of the green growth community are met. In addition to facilitating access to the newest research and data, the GGKP strives to translate this technical information into relevant and applicable policy knowledge for practitioners and policymakers on the ground. 14

16 GGKP Work Programme - Knowledge Management While these knowledge curation efforts have been modest to date, the new work programme expands on this ambition. Examples of products the GGKP is exploring include summaries of new research targeted at policymakers, featured articles highlighting green growth champions, resource packets for the media, and a State of Green Growth flagship report. In addition, the GGKP will explore ways to translate the wealth of resources on its web platform into effective capacity building products through the mainstreaming of green growth concepts into existing courses, the development of a university-level green growth curriculum, and the launch of a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC). The success of the GGKP s knowledge management work stream requires active engagement and coordination with the Steering Committee members, Knowledge Partner institutions, and other experts to ensure the latest research, tools, and data are referenced, linked, and shared with the wider green growth community of practice. Such efforts will include linking and deepening engagement with the GGKP partners major green growth initiatives (e.g., the Global Green Growth Summit, the United Nations Partnership for Action on Green Economy, the Green Growth Best Practice Initiative, etc.). At the same time, the GGKP will work on strengthening coordination efforts among its partners, in terms of gathering and sharing information on green growth research efforts and other relevant activities. In addition, the GGKP has embraced smart-technologies and a flexible delivery strategy to keep the web platform timely and respond to evolving user needs with the use of minimal resources. In implementing its knowledge management strategy, the GGKP actively engages with knowledge management experts within the broader sustainability field (including within its Knowledge Partners or external groups such as the Climate Knowledge Brokers Group) to share best practices, seek advice, and exchange ideas on how to more efficiently and effectively meet user needs. Knowledge Management Activities The GGKP s knowledge management work stream focuses on the tools and products used to make knowledge more accessible to the green growth community of practice. As such, the GGKP s knowledge management work stream consists of three main activities: i) maintenance of and improvement to the GGKP web platform; ii) development of synthesised knowledge products; and iii) support in the development of green growth capacity building products. 1. Maintain and Improve the GGKP Web Platform The GGKP web platform draws together relevant research, data, tools, news, and events from across the GGKP s growing group of Knowledge Partners and tracks national policies and projects. Given the diversity of the GGKP s audience, the web platform was designed with various entry points reflecting different interests and approaches to green growth. For those with a geographical focus, the GGKP s country pages provide national overviews of relevant green growth research, projects, policies, and data. For those with more topical interests, the web platform includes sector and theme pages drawing together relevant research, projects, and blogs. Through its web platform, the GGKP works to ensure that new learning and best practices can be easily exchanged across borders and disciplines. 15

17 GGKP Work Programme - Knowledge Management Improved accessibility to the key green growth knowledge products also helps the GGKP partners to more effectively collaborate and coordinate in their green growth activities, increasing efficiencies, and reducing redundancies. Key web platform features include: Searchable e-library drawing together the largest existing collection of green growth reports, articles, books, and other publications produced by leading institutions and experts. Publications are tagged by country, region, sector and theme, allowing users to easily narrow down results to the knowledge products most relevant to their work; Country dashboards for 193 countries with key information on national-level data, projects, resources, and policies providing an overview of efforts to transition to a green economy; Insights blog providing leading green growth experts a space to share their perspective on recent research, upcoming events, or newly launched projects; Learning database providing access to green growth courses, videos, webinars, and tools offered by leading organisations, with the aim of helping users apply knowledge and develop the skills necessary in the transition to a green economy; Data Explorer providing a user-friendly set of tools to graph and visualise green growth patterns and trends, drawing together 20 green growth data sets over the period 1960 to 2014; A global database of green growth projects by leading organisations and institutions; A collection of 28 sector and theme pages drawing together information on relevant resources, projects, and blogs; and News and event feeds providing updates on green growth events and recently released research, tools, and data. The GGKP uses its web platform as its main engine for knowledge sharing, communications, and outreach; updating it daily with new resources, blogs posts, project descriptions, news stories and events. Over the next three-year period, the GGKP will continue all essential operations and management needed to maintain and support the key features outlined above. In updating content on the web platform, the GGKP Secretariat regularly communicates with its Knowledge Partners to ensure their new content is reflected in a timely manner. In moving forward, the GGKP will expand on this outreach and engage more directly with other key organisations and experts producing content. For instance, the GGKP will explore sending out surveys to academics (in developed and developing countries), professional associations, and relevant regional organisations to identify their key outputs and ensure they are shared through the web platform. To ensure the web platform is continually meeting the needs of its users, the GGKP routinely collects data and feedback on its web platform performance and usage. Data is primarily collected through Google Analytics and summarised into quarterly reports (these reports are shared with the Steering Committee). Based on these reports, the GGKP analyses its online activities and adjusts where needed. To supplement this information, the GGKP also collects feedback directly from its web platform users, namely through the distribution of surveys at events. 16

18 GGKP Work Programme - Knowledge Management Once per year the GGKP engages in a wider effort to collect feedback, including the integration of pop-up surveys on the GGKP web platform and distribution of surveys via . The information gathered through Google Analytics and the GGKP s various survey efforts is analysed and used to inform both the day-to-day running and major technical improvements to the GGKP web platform. Efforts will include improving the user experience (e.g., better guiding users to the right content through the renaming of sections or more clearly defined pathways), improving the utility of sections or tools that have the greatest user interest, and shifting limited resources around to maximise impact (e.g., eliminating sections that have proven to be unsuccessful). In addition, in cases where particular web platform tools or sections are being underutilised (for instance the current project database), the GGKP will conduct deeper analysis to understand how the section can be improved to better respond to user needs. In carrying out future improvements to its web platform, the GGKP will focus on: Harnessing new tools and technologies to provide a better user experience, improve automation, and more efficiently pull in resources from across the GGKP partner organisations (e.g., through the use of Reegle s Climate Tagger or other APIs); Continually expand the scope of knowledge products hosted on the web platform, including ensuring greater regional representation (e.g., in late 2014 the GGKP expanded the library to include academic journal articles in response to user needs); Developing new sector and theme pages and revising pages as needs evolve; Continually improving the functionality, design, and messaging of the web platform to ensure the GGKP is best engaging with users, and responding to their knowledge needs; Expanding the data points and functionality of the data explorer to allow for more in-depth analysis; Highlighting the GGKP s growing partnership, including by allowing users to browse web resources by organisation name, and by expanding the information available on the partner pages; and Drawing closer links with other green growth and green economy web-based resources, such as the UNECE Green Economy Toolbox. 2. Develop Synthesised Knowledge Products The GGKP plans to expand its knowledge management efforts beyond its web platform to include the development of more synthesised materials. For instance, the GGKP will look for ways to add value to and build off of the knowledge being produced by its partner organisations. Potential outputs include: Synthesizing or translating new research into policy products aimed at specific groups, including summaries of new research tailored to certain groups of policymakers (e.g., regional-specific or developing countries policymakers) or sectors, or aimed at drawing linkages to other political processes such as the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); Publishing featured articles and stories focused on green growth successes or champions; and Developing media packs to help the wider public understand the relevance and applicability of new green growth research. 17

19 GGKP Work Programme - Knowledge Management In addition, the GGKP is exploring the development of a State of Green Growth flagship report. This output will either be pursued directly by the GGKP or through engagement in other efforts to produce a similar report. Options for collaboration include participation in GGGI s planned Global Green Growth Outlook or the flagship report being explored by the United Arab Emirates as part of their planned Centre of Excellence. The report would be produced every two years and would include two main sections. The first section would provide annual updates on developments in green growth policy, research, and investment with the aim of synthesizing the latest trends and advances in an easily digestible format for practitioners. The second section of the report would be dedicated to a more in-depth assessment of a particular theme related to green growth. The choice of theme will be tied to the GGKP Annual Conference theme or to other timely international themes, such as the International Year series (e.g., 2014 was the International Year of Small Island Developing States). It is estimated that each report will be less than 100 pages in length. The GGKP acknowledges that short reports, as opposed to lengthy reports, can be more digestible to readers and feasible in terms of effort, while still remaining substantive. The responsibility for producing the final report will rest with the GGKP Secretariat. However, the GGKP will work with its Knowledge Partners and outside consultants where needed to develop the background research and draft individual sections. The GGKP will make efforts to ensure synthesised knowledge products are translated into relevant priority languages (final language choices will depend on the specific audience). 3. Support the Development of Green Growth Capacity Building Products and Services The GGKP plans to expand its green growth knowledge management activities in an effort to translate the wealth of resources available through the GGKP web platform into effective capacity building materials that are developed with and implemented through GGKP partners. In 2015, the GGKP launched a Learning Database on its web platform, drawing together key courses, materials, videos, and tools aimed at helping users apply knowledge and develop the skills necessary in the transition to a green economy. Moving forward, the GGKP plans to expand on this effort by engaging further with users and leveraging existing training opportunities. The GGKP seeks to engage in and contribute to potential activities such as: Mainstreaming core green growth concepts into existing training programmes or courses; Developing a university-level green growth course curriculum; and Developing a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on green growth. These products aim to deepen the user s understanding on core green growth topics. Products will be designed in a way to ensure ease of use and adaptability to existing academic curricula. For instance, the university level course curriculum will be structured around distinct modules, allowing students or professors to follow individual topics or the entire curriculum. In carrying out these activities, the GGKP will partner with its Steering Committee, Knowledge Partners, and learning institutions that are specialised in designing and running learning activities (e.g., UNITAR). In addition, the GGKP will engage the academic members of its Advisory Committee to develop and test these ideas. 18

20 GGKP Work Programme - Knowledge Sharing In developing all capacity building materials, the GGKP will seek to understand the needs of users (e.g. through surveys) and map out any existing efforts. When relevant courses or efforts exist, the GGKP will work to harness these opportunities by partnering with organisations already working in this area and mainstreaming green growth concepts into existing training programmes. Overview GGKP WORK PROGRAMME: KNOWLEDGE SHARING The aim of the GGKP s Knowledge Sharing work stream is to stimulate the development of a robust green growth community of practice strengthening international collaboration and learning, stimulating demand, and empowering action. The GGKP s target audience is green growth practitioners and policymakers, including professionals from both governmental and non-governmental organisations directly engaged in the promotion, development, and implementation of green growth policies and actions at the local, national, regional, and international levels. The key way the GGKP engages with this community is through its robust and expanding group of Knowledge Partners. As of 2015 the GGKP brought together over 40 partners, including international organisations, think tanks, research institutes, and nongovernmental organisations. These Knowledge Partners are committed to collaborating in the generation and sharing of green growth knowledge. At the same time, these organisations often work directly with civil servants and government officials as well as other relevant national groups and experts. By leveraging these networks (e.g. through communications or surveys), the GGKP is able to more effectively share knowledge with national actors and support their learning needs. In moving forward the GGKP also plans to strengthen its engagement with and outreach to universities and research institutions, particularly in developing countries. Timely exchange of green growth knowledge with these groups will be important to help support national and regional climate change adaptation, mitigation, and sustainable development efforts. The GGKP also plans to expand its outreach to the private sector through engagement with international organisations that target companies, such as the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and the World Economic Forum. Since its launch, the GGKP has adopted a robust and far-reaching communications and outreach strategy, involving a range of digital and in-person activities. From 2012 to 2015, the GGKP convened 16 events, drawing together a total of 1,598 participants from across the world. The most prominent of these events are the GGKP Annual Conferences, which serve as the main, in-person, community building activity. The founding GGKP institutions have committed to rotating responsibility for hosting the conference. The World Bank held the GGKP s inaugural conference in 2012, the OECD held the second annual conference in 2013, and UNEP hosted the third annual conference in January GGGI will host the fourth annual conference in To date 715 participants have attended the GGKP annual conferences. 19

21 GGKP Work Programme - Knowledge Sharing The GGKP also conducted in-person activities in the form of Regional Practitioner Workshops. These workshops allowed technical experts from developing country governments to learn about various green growth policy tools and to share experiences on green growth planning and implementation. A first practitioner workshop took place in Bogor, Indonesia from 3-4 June 2013 (114 participants) and a second in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo from 2-3 April 2014 (135 participants). Scalability is at the heart of the GGKP. By investing in innovative communications tools such as a robust social media presence through Twitter, LinkedIn, Flickr, and YouTube; and the Insights blog, the GGKP helps connect the green growth community of practice to the most up-to-date and relevant knowledge available. The GGKP s social media presence is continuously growing with its number of followers tripling on both Twitter and LinkedIn since The GGKP also utilises avenues such as Flickr and YouTube to further promote its work online. In May 2015, the GGKP released a 13-part video interview series with green growth experts and leaders. In the future, the GGKP plans to continue its pursuit of innovative means of engaging experts and sharing their experiences and knowledge through interviews, videos, and other tools. The GGKP encourages green growth researchers and experts to share their work and opinions through the GGKP Insights blog. The GGKP Secretariat posts approximately one blog per week to this space, with 25 percent of the blogs contributed by developing country experts. The GGKP plans to increase the regularity of blogs from developing country experts and increase overall blog contributions. The GGKP also regularly conducts joint communication campaigns with its partners, which includes coordinated promotion and dissemination of new publications, recently launched projects, and upcoming events. Other avenues of communication include the GGKP Knowledge Update newsletter, which has a readership of over 3,500 people. In 2015, the GGKP also began hosting a webinar series on key green growth themes to actively engage its network of experts and the wider green growth community of practice. To date the GGKP has held three webinars, the first on new research from the Trade and Competitiveness research committee; the second on the World Bank s new report on Decarbonizing Development: Three Steps to a Zero-Carbon Future ; and the third to officially launch the OECD s new report Towards Green Growth? Tracking Progress. Throughout all communications efforts, the GGKP encourages collaborative and joint outreach with its partners, through joint media campaigns and by cross-posting blogs or news stories from partners. The GGKP plans to build on these successes during the work programme period, in collaboration with its partners and the wider green growth community. In particular, the GGKP plans to strengthen the services it provides by increasing the scale of its outreach efforts, in an effort to reach distinct regional and local audiences, enabling the growth of and linkages within the global green growth community. The GGKP will achieve this through diverse outreach and media campaigns, active social media engagement, and joint inperson events. Knowledge Sharing Activities The GGKP s knowledge sharing work stream focuses on the events and mediums used to communicate knowledge more effectively and efficiently with the green growth community of practice. The GGKP will continue to establish its reputation as a green growth communications leader by enhancing 20

22 GGKP Work Programme - Knowledge Sharing its in-person and online activities, including: i) organising and convening Annual Conferences; ii) organising workshops, trainings, and side events; iii) hosting a GGKP summer school; iv) engaging through social media; v) promoting the GGKP Insights blog; vi) producing newsletters; vii) hosting webinars; viii) leading outreach campaigns; ix) developing and managing an online collaborative workspace; and x) partnering in hosting an Ask an Expert service. IN-PERSON ACTIVITIES 1. Convene GGKP Annual Conferences The GGKP Annual Conferences serve as the main, in-person, community building activity for the GGKP. It draws together experts from various government agencies, international organisations, research institutes, NGOs and the private sector to facilitate knowledge sharing and learning. The founding GGKP institutions have committed to rotating responsibility for hosting the conference, and retain the flexibility to seek out additional partners in undertaking this activity. The Inaugural GGKP conference was organised by the World Bank in 2012 on the topic of Green Growth: Addressing the Knowledge Gaps. The conference was held in Mexico City, Mexico and was co-sponsored by Mexico's National Institute of Ecology (INE) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The GGKP s Second Annual Conference was organised by the OECD in 2013 on the themes of Greening Global Value Chains and Measurement and Reporting for Green Growth. The conference was held at the OECD headquarters in Paris, France. The GGKP s Third Annual Conference was organised by UNEP in 2015 on the theme of Fiscal Policies and the Green Economy Transition: Generating Knowledge Creating Impact. The conference was held in Venice, Italy and was co-hosted with Ca Foscari University of Venice and The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI). The GGKP s Fourth Annual Conference will be hosted by GGGI in 2016 on the tentative theme of inclusiveness. The location of the conference is still to be determined. From 2017 it is assumed that rotation of the annual conferences will begin again with the World Bank hosting the 2017 conference on the tentative theme of green infrastructure and the OECD hosting the 2018 conference on a theme to be determined. Although each founding partner retains flexibility on how a particular annual conference is organised, each conference will include space for discussions around: (i) the annual research theme, (ii) updates on GGKP s ongoing research programmes, and (iii) a discussion of latest trends and issues. 2. Organise Workshops, Trainings, and Side Events The GGKP actively participates in international events and organises sideevents to reach a broader audience and bridge across different sectors, disciplines and regions. Since 2012, the GGKP has held 16 events including a mix of workshops, trainings, presentations, and side events. The GGKP plans to continue to engage in such events. Where opportunities exist, the GGKP will jointly organise workshops, trainings, side events or sessions with its partners (e.g., at the Global Green Growth Summit (GGGS), OECD Green Growth and Sustainable Development Forum, Low Emission Development Strategies Global Partnership (LEDS GP) global and regional events, etc.). In order to reach out to and bridge across the policy and academic communities, the GGKP also participates in relevant conferences and research seminars (e.g., World Congress of and Resource Economists, 21

23 GGKP Work Programme - Knowledge Sharing Annual Conference of the European Association of Environment and Resource Economists, etc.). The GGKP makes an effort to coordinate with its Knowledge Partners to jointly host events. 3. Host a GGKP Summer School The GGKP is exploring the convening of a green growth summer school or similar training activity in collaboration with its partners. Due to its heavy infrastructure requirements, this activity will only be pursued if it can be built into an existing initiative (e.g., EAERE-FEEM-VIU European Summer School, GGGI regional training centers, or as part of the ILO-ITC Turin training programme). Such a programme could be targeted at students or technical experts within government ministries. The objective of this series would be to provide advanced training for young researchers and technical experts from all over the world on issues related to green growth. The summer school would be unique in that it would promote strong engagement between universities and practitioners, following a traditional structure of lectures by professors, Ph.D. students presentation, reading time, consultation sessions, and social events. The faculty will be comprised of leading academics and practitioners in the field. ONLINE ACTIVITIES 4. Engage through Social Media The GGKP has four social media platforms: Twitter; LinkedIn; YouTube; and Flickr. The GGKP is most active on Twitter (2,276 followers as of July 2015) and LinkedIn (566 members to the GGKP s group as of July 2015). Both platforms are used to promote the GGKP and its partners news, activities, research, and projects. The GGKP s social media participation ensures that the initiative stays current and abreast to the latest green growth news and trends. It also enables the GGKP to draw awareness to the theme of green growth, by connecting and promoting the green growth community via social media. The GGKP also maintains active YouTube and Flickr accounts to share videos and photos from its events, including the GGKP s video interview series. Over the course of the next three years, the GGKP will continue to engage with its social media base and will develop a series of targeted social media outreach campaigns with its partners in order to advance green growth knowledge and understanding. 5. Promote the GGKP Insights blog The GGKP s Insights blog is one avenue through which the GGKP works to share relevant and timely information on green growth topics with its audience. The blog features posts from a range of experts working in the field of green growth, providing a platform for them to share insights into their recent research, events and activities. As of mid-2015, 117 blogs have been submitted to the GGKP, 25% of which came from developing country authors. The GGKP will continue to engage global experts through its blog and has immediate plans to increase its outreach to developing country experts and to grow the popularity of the blog more generally by improving visibility and accessibility on the web platform. 6. Produce Newsletters The GGKP communications efforts include the regular distribution of an newsletter, the Knowledge Update, highlighting developments in green growth research and upcoming events. The newsletter distribution list includes more than 3,500 green growth professionals. The newsletter is distributed on average once per month. The GGKP plans to update the newsletter format to make it more user-friendly and to ensure it is responding to readers evolving needs. 22

24 GGKP Work Programme - Knowledge Sharing 7. Host Webinars Initiated in 2015, the GGKP webinar series aims to actively engage its network of experts and the wider green growth community of practice around key green growth themes. The webinars provide a cost-effective means of promoting, receiving and discussing new green growth research, data, upcoming events, and projects, and technical content is generally intended to be led by a GGKP Steering Committee or Knowledge Partner. As scalability is at the heart of the GGKP, the webinars are a practical solution to reach a globally dispersed audience. By investing in innovative tools such as a webinar series, the GGKP allows green growth experts to share their perspective on recent research at a larger scale, increasing the impact of their work. The current webinar series is scheduled to conclude at the end of 2015, and based on initial feedback, additional webinar series are being planned for the future. 8. Lead Outreach Campaigns Engaging with universities To increase outreach to the academic community the GGKP plans to engage more with universities, academics and students. The GGKP is exploring a number of different campaigns such as online infographic and research competitions. The online infographic campaign would be targeted at university students and would be focused on a particular green growth theme, such as Demonstrate Green Growth or What is green growth?. The infographics would provide the GGKP with a visual campaign on green growth that could be used to raise awareness on green growth and raise the profile of GGKP within the academic community. The research competitions would also be targeted at students. The GGKP would suggest an issue or challenge related to green growth and the students would be asked to produce short research papers suggesting solutions. The best papers would receive a prize and be promoted through the GGKP s various media channels. Producing video interviews and awareness-raising videos The GGKP hosts a video interview series with the aim of capturing and sharing tacit knowledge. Hosted on the GGKP YouTube channel, the interviews, lasting approximately 5 minutes each, provide an easily digestible discussion on key issues with leading thinkers and influencers. To date, 15 videos have been produced from the GGKP s 2013 Second Annual Conference in Paris, and a further 13 from the 2015 Third Annual Conference in Venice. In the future, the GGKP intends to further expand the GGKP video interview series to include a more diverse set of voices on specific and prevalent green growth themes and issues. The GGKP will also consider launching awareness raising videos on green growth, which highlight stories of green growth successfully being applied in practice. 9. Develop and Manage Online Collaborative Workspace To more effectively engage leading green growth institutions and experts, the GGKP has developed an online collaborative workspace. Tools available to registered users include group discussions, meeting boards, document sharing, and virtual meeting rooms. The initial roll-out of the workspace has taken place within the GGKP Secretariat, and this will be followed by the Steering Committee members, Knowledge Partners, and Research Committees. The GGKP will hold trainings on the collaborative workspace, possibly through webinars or online meetings and conference calls, and continue to test its efficacy throughout 2016 in order to determine whether to continue its use. 23

25 Monitoring and Evaluation 10. Partner in Hosting an Ask an Expert Service A global pool of green growth experts is quickly emerging; however, their specialised knowledge is often not accessible to developing country policymakers. A number of expert consultation services have recently been established in an effort to better allow practitioners to seek assistance, such as the Clean Energy Solutions Center and the LEDS GP s Remote Expert Assistance on LEDS (REAL) service. The GGKP plans to collaborate with these virtual consultation services and expand the scope of expert advice available to include additional key green growth topics (e.g., fossil fuel subsidy reform, green taxes, and indicators and measurement). The GGKP would host the Ask an Expert service on the GGKP web platform and draw on the expertise from within its Knowledge Partners, as well as other organisations, to build this global pool of experts. Related to this service, the GGKP is also exploring developing and maintaining a global roster of green growth experts, tagged by sector, theme, and country of focus, which would also be housed on the GGKP web platform. Overview MONITORING AND EVALUATION The GGKP will measure its performance using a results matrix, which targets overall impact towards the development, adoption, and implementation of green growth policies and practices globally. To assess its progress in achieving this impact, the GGKP will regularly track a number of indicators related to the outcomes and outputs across its three work streams. Knowledge generation Outcome indicator: Number of global and regional research initiatives and products catalysed that directly address knowledge gaps identified Output indicator: Number of gap analyses or research papers developed, released and available for download Knowledge management Outcome indicator: How practitioners and policymakers are using GGKP knowledge products in the promotion of green growth policies and activities (measured through qualitative evidence and description) Output indicators: Number of unique visitors to the GGKP web platform per quarter; number of green growth knowledge products available through the GGKP web platform; number of synthesised knowledge and capacity building products developed Knowledge sharing Outcome indicator: How practitioners and policymakers are using GGKP knowledge products in the promotion of green growth policies and activities (measured through qualitative evidence and description) Output indicators: Number of participants at GGKP in-person and virtual events (e.g. Annual Conferences, side events, webinars, etc.); number of GGKP LinkedIn group members and Twitter followers; number of "Insight" blogs discussing and describing relevant green growth research and activities; percentage of participants which express satisfaction with the GGKP s in-person and virtual events 24

26 Monitoring and Evaluation The GGKP will measure these impacts through data from in-person interviews, desk research, surveys, web analytics, and social media analytics. Knowledge generation impact will be measured through surveys to analyse the participation in and outputs of the GGKP Research Committees, as well as desk research to understand the reach of studies commissioned by the GGKP. Knowledge management impact will be measured by using web analytics to track the resources available through the GGKP web platform, understand who is accessing them and improve the user experience. This will be complemented with surveys to better understand how users are applying the knowledge they acquired through the GGKP. Knowledge sharing impact will be measured through tracking the number of participants at GGKP in-person and virtual events. Activities Surveys and in-person interviews The GGKP will use surveys to understand the needs and capture the opinions of the green growth community. In the past, surveys have been an integral component of the GGKP s monitoring strategy as they allow the GGKP to collect first-hand data on key green growth knowledge needs and policy change. The types of surveys and interviews carried out by the GGKP include: Surveys to research committee members once per year to assess their opinions and engagement and help improve the GGKP s knowledge generation strategy; Surveys to web platform users (this includes pop-up surveys embedded on its website and surveys distributed via ) to better understand the motivation and needs of the users and to inform technical improvements to the web platform; and Surveys to participants at GGKP events in order to assess its performance, keep abreast of evolving green growth knowledge needs, and determine how green growth knowledge products are being adopted and applied in practice. The GGKP plans to continue to use a mix of surveys to garner feedback, and when feasible, follow-up with more detailed in-person interviews. The advantage of in-person interviews is that they provide an opportunity to ask more nuanced questions related to the use of GGKP materials and the impact of GGKP activities. Quarterly web analytics reports The GGKP will continue to monitor its online activities, including its web platform, social media, and newsletter and produce quarterly analytics reports. GGKP web platform analytics are captured using Google Analytics. In addition to reporting on unique visitors, the GGKP monitors and reports on a number of additional metrics, such as which web platform pages are the most popular, to better understand the behaviour and profile of its users, as well as the performance of the various sections of the web platform. Social media analytics are captured using Twitter Adds analytics, and the metrics include growth in followers, as well as engagement, such as the number of retweets, favourites, shares and mentions. LinkedIn analytics are captured using LinkedIn s built-in analytics platform, and the metrics include growth in membership, as well as engagement through the number of discussions started and comments received. Newsletter analytics are captured using Constant Contact s built-in analytics platform. In addition to measuring how many users open its newsletter, the GGKP will be able to understand how successful individual stories are by tracking how many readers click on story links. While the GGKP produces official analytics reports on a quarterly basis, it also uses the analytics platforms described above to continually monitor and adjust its online strategy. 25

27 Resource Mobilisation Annual Report and Impact Report In an effort to capture and report on its key activities and successes, the GGKP develops annual reports. The GGKP s first Annual Report was published in 2014 and covered the period Due to the large amount of resources needed to produce and publish annual reports, the GGKP plans to release the report only once every two years. The next report will be published in early 2016 and will cover the period A following report will be published in early 2018 and will cover the period The annual reports include a summary of key activities and successes covering the GGKP s work streams of knowledge generation, management and sharing, an update on partners, an overview of finances, an update on its key output, outcome, and impact indicators, as well as quotes and stories on how the GGKP s activities have created impact. In years that the GGKP does not publish an Annual Report (e.g. 2015, 2017), the GGKP will publish an Impact Report. The Impact Report is much shorter than the Annual Report and focuses primarily on tracking and communicating the GGKP s output, outcome, and impact indicators. The GGKP s first Impact Report was published in External Evaluation In addition to its internal monitoring and reporting activities, the GGKP will also undergo an independent mid-term evaluation in mid The evaluation will have two primary purposes: i) to provide evidence of results to meet accountability requirements; and ii) to promote learning, feedback, and knowledge sharing through results and lessons learned among the GGKP and its partner organisations. In particular, the evaluation will assess the GGKP s performance in terms of relevance, effectiveness, and efficiency. It will also assess the GGKP s outputs, outcomes, and impacts (actual and potential), including their sustainability. The aim of this extensive and ongoing monitoring and evaluation plan is to use the data and information to improve GGKP activities and increase its impact. The various reports and evaluations will be summarized and discussed at GGKP Steering Committee and Advisory Committee meetings to ensure the information is fed back into strategic and operational discussions and plans. RESOURCE MOBILISATION Overview The GGKP Secretariat, in close collaboration with the Steering Committee, leads the fundraising efforts for the initiative and has responsibility for key fundraising activities including developing the fundraising strategy, researching and identifying potential donors, cultivating donor relationships, developing fundraising proposals, organising meetings between the GGKP partners and potential donors, responding to donor requests and queries, and maintaining a donor database. The fundraising model is structured along four tranches of funding: i) in-kind contributions; ii) core funding; iii) programmatic funding; and iv) affiliated programmes. In-Kind Contributions The GGKP Steering Committee members (GGGI, OECD, UNEP, and the World Bank) have committed to providing ongoing inkind contributions from their respective organisations. 26

28 Resource Mobilisation This commitment includes providing at least 50 per cent of a full-time staff member s time to contribute to the coordination of the GGKP s activities and to identifying technical experts in their organisations to actively participate in one or more research committees. The founding partners have also committed to financing and hosting the GGKP annual conferences on a rotating basis. In addition, as co-hosts of the GGKP Secretariat, GGGI and UNEP have committed to providing direct support to GGKP Secretariat management and operations. Core Funding Strategic funding partners, including government donors and multilateral organisations, are critical to the success of the GGKP. These donors underwrite the GGKP s core activities, ensuring ongoing and high-quality knowledge generation, knowledge management and knowledge sharing. Strategic funding partners are closely associated with the GGKP, and as such their logos appear prominently on the GGKP website, publications, and annual conference and outreach materials. Strategic funding partners also participate in the GGKP governance structure and are invited to contribute to Steering Committee meetings, which is the principal governing and decision-making body responsible for approving the GGKP s strategy and overall work programme. The GGKP currently receives core strategic funding from the Government of Switzerland, GGGI, and UNEP. Programmatic Funding The GGKP also engages with programmatic funding partners who support specific GGKP activities. Donors funding specific activities have their contributions recognised for that activity or output. The GGKP currently receives programmatic funding from the Governments of Germany, the Netherlands, and Norway. The GGKP Secretariat periodically conducts scoping exercises to identify programmatic funding opportunities where the GGKP s overall mission is clearly aligned with the focus of donors. The GGKP plans to target bilateral government donors, multilateral organisations, private foundations, and the private sector in an effort to expand its programmatic funding. In pursuing this funding, caution will be used in partnering with the private sector to avoid any perceptions of bias in GGKP s research agenda. Affiliated Programmes The GGKP will also participate in joint fundraising efforts with other leading organisations on activities that are consistent with its strategic plan and work programme. For instance, from September 2015 to September 2018, the GGKP will participate in the GREEN-WIN project, a consortium effort to be funded through the European Commission s Horizon 2020 initiative. The GREEN-WIN project aims to develop new international, trans-disciplinary, and collaborative research to apply solutionoriented approaches, targeted at increasing the understanding of links between climate action and sustainability, and overcoming implementation barriers through win-win strategies. The GGKP s role in this project will focus on expanding its existing knowledge management and knowledge sharing efforts, including maintaining a project web page within the GGKP web platform, hosting webinars, and publishing blogs, with the aim of ensuring the project results reach the wider green growth community of practice. Likewise, the GGKP is currently in discussions with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe about the potential for hosting a green growth pan-european database and tool on the GGKP web platform. 27

29 GOVERNANCE AND OPERATING PRINCIPLES The following provides an overview of the GGKP s governance structure and operating principles. GGKP Steering Committee The GGKP s four founding organisations GGGI, OECD, UNEP, and the World Bank together form the GGKP Steering Committee. The Steering Committee serves as the principal governing and decisionmaking body of the GGKP. It is responsible for approving the GGKP strategy and overall work programme. Decisions by the Steering Committee are taken by consensus with each of the four members sharing equal rights and obligations. The GGKP Steering Committee membership is open to other organizations willing to provide strategic and on-going funding to GGKP operations. Each Steering Committee member appoints at least one half full-time equivalent (1/2 FTE) staff member ( GGKP Coordinator ), based at their respective institutions, to contribute to the GGKP operations. The Steering Committee also appoints new members to the GGKP Advisory Committee, and, based on nominations by the Advisory Committee, endorses the Advisory Committee Co-Chairs. The Co-Chairs of the GGKP Advisory Committee and the GGKP government donors are invited to participate as observers in the GGKP Steering Committee meetings, which take place through bi-monthly conference calls. Advisory Committee The GGKP Advisory Committee is a panel of independent advisors comprised of experts from around the world with deep technical knowledge or policy experience relevant to green growth research and practice. The Advisory Committee provides strategic guidance on the design and implementation of the GGKP activities. Members of the Advisory Committee are appointed by the Steering Committee for three-year renewable terms. The Committee comprises roughly 14 members from academic and policy-making communities. Its Co-Chairs are selected by the Steering Committee. The Committee meets in-person annually and through teleconference on an ad-hoc basis to assess the green growth knowledge agenda in light of accumulated research and policy experience. The Committee recommends priority areas for future GGKP research and focus in coordination with GGKP partners. Specific responsibilities include: Attending the GGKP Advisory Committee meetings, held once per year, and participation in the GGKP organised teleconferences, webinars, and other channels of virtual communication, as needed to carry out the Committee s work; Recommending key research topics and identifying new and emerging fronts for priority research based on input from GGKP partners and other sources; Contributing to the work of the GGKP Research Committees, either by joining a particular committee, by peer-reviewing publications that are being produced by the committees, or by identifying and nominating institutions and experts to serve on the committees; Reviewing research submissions and participating in the GGKP Annual Conferences; and Suggesting potential sources of research funding. Knowledge Partners The GGKP is a dynamic partnership among the world's leading institutions and 28

30 Governance and Operating Principles and organisations active in areas related to green growth and green economy at the local, national, and international levels. These knowledge partners are committed to collaborating in the generation, management, and sharing of green growth knowledge. They constitute a network of institutions interested in periodic exchanges about their respective work programmes in the green growth space and, when mutually beneficial, collaboration. They contribute to the GGKP s growing body of research and knowledge through multiple channels, including principally the GGKP research committees and web platform. The process for selecting new GGKP knowledge partners is straightforward. Organisations interested in joining the GGKP submit expressions of interest to the GGKP Secretariat that provide: A short description of the organisation, including work on green growth or green economy; A short summary of the organisation's experience in generating, managing or sharing green growth knowledge; and Why the organisation is interested in partnering with the GGKP. The letter is reviewed by the GGKP Steering Committee, which in making its decision, considers the overall reputation of the organisation, its motivation to join the GGKP, and whether it is actively engaged in one of GGKP s principal work areas: generation, management, and sharing of green growth knowledge. If these criteria are met then the GGKP Steering Committee directs the Secretariat to send a reply letter to the organisation informing them that they have been accepted as a Knowledge Partner. In its first three years, the GGKP has grown from its four founding organisations to over 40 Knowledge Partner institutions. This growth has been evenly divided among intergovernmental organisations and research institutes and think tanks. Not counting middle-income and newly industrialised countries, of the 24 research institutes and think tanks that are Knowledge Partners, only two (or 8%) are based in developing countries. The GGKP will engage in a dedicated effort to reach out to developing and middle income country institutes and think tanks in an effort to expand its partnership among these groups. The GGKP will work to balance the number of developing and middle income country institutes and think tanks and increase their representation among knowledge partners to 20 in the next three years. In so doing, the GGKP will prioritize academic institutions and other organisations that are well-connected and represent a broad network, such as regional entities and sub-economic blocks. GGKP Secretariat The GGKP Secretariat, which is staffed by UNEP and GGGI staff and consultants, is responsible for the GGKP s day-to-day operations and is accountable to the GGKP Steering Committee. The Secretariat consists of: i) Head of Secretariat (UNEP funded; filled); ii) Research Officer (GGGI funded; filled)); iii) Knowledge Management Officer (GGGI funded; filled); (v) Communications and Outreach consultant (UNEP funded; filled); and v) Parttime Administrative Assistant (UNEP funded; filled). The next three-year work programme ( ) includes a considerable expansion of activities. The Secretariat is expanding to respond to these demands. GGGI hired a new research officer in Q

31 Governance and Operating Principles It is anticipated that this new staff member plus the occasional short-term consultant to support specific efforts, such as updating the GGKP web platform data tables, will be sufficient to implement the proposed work programme. The Secretariat is committed to the following core operating principles: 1. One Secretariat Regardless of geographical or institutional location, the GGKP Secretariat operates as one entity. Both in mission and culture, the Secretariat cooperates and communicates as one unit to meet common objectives. 2. Low Transaction Costs with High Impact The Secretariat aims to maximise impact and efficiency and minimise transaction costs by using the latest available technology and streamlining communications with both internal and external partners. 3. Connectivity Both internally and externally, the Secretariat operates to ensure connectivity between the different GGKP bodies and partners. The Secretariat maintains flexibility in identifying and facilitating links with global academic institutions and research centres. 4. Continuity The Secretariat works to ensure continuity in its operations. Through maintaining effective and regular communications with the Steering Committee and Advisory Committee, the Secretariat ensures that the GGKP remains active, robust, and relevant. 5. Responsiveness and Accountability Responsiveness is key to the effective operation of the GGKP Secretariat. Internally, the Secretariat must be responsive and accountable to the Steering Committee. It also ensures that it has the capacity and capability to be responsive to and accountable to external requests and enquiries regarding the GGKP. 6. Solvency In the long-term the Secretariat aims to have financial self-sufficiency with its own budget. The Secretariat develops external funding proposals and works closely with the Steering Committee and donors to ensure financial solvency and continuity. 7. Organic Growth As the GGKP develops, the Secretariat will gradually assume more responsibility in the pursuit of higher responsiveness and efficiency. Through organic growth, guided by the Steering Committee, it is anticipated that the Secretariat will increase its capacity and assume greater autonomy. The GGKP Secretariat will ensure that the core principles outlined above are reflected in developing and carrying out the following functions: 1. Internal Coordination The Secretariat is responsible for ensuring effective internal coordination. By embedding a process for regular communication with different GGKP bodies, including the Steering Committee, Advisory Committee, and Knowledge Partners, the Secretariat will ensure effective coordination of all the GGKP activities. 30

32 Governance and Operating Principles The Secretariat organises bi-monthly conference calls with the Steering Committee and bi-weekly conference calls with the Coordinators. As the GGKP develops, these calls may become less frequent although the Secretariat will ensure a continued flow of information to and from the Steering Committee members. The Secretariat is also responsible for reporting overall progress of the GGKP activities (e.g., development of research programmes, new partners, etc.) through monthly updates and briefings to Knowledge Partners and Advisory Committee members. 2. External Coordination The Secretariat is responsible for external coordination, including with institutions and the wider green growth community of practice. As the first point of contact for external enquiries, the Secretariat will be responsible for engagement with prospective partners and coordinating responses to external stakeholders. 3. Budget and Operational Management Although the Steering Committee members maintain the financial accounts within their respective institutions, the Secretariat is responsible for overall budget management based on detailed budget plans shared and cleared by the Steering Committee. 4. Research Management The Secretariat is responsible for the development of the GGKP research programme, including providing support to the Steering Committee, Advisory Committee and Knowledge Partners in the identification of research themes. The Secretariat also facilitates the management of the research committees, including assisting in the selection of experts as well as supporting the Co-Chairs in convening in-person and virtual meetings. 5. Knowledge Management The Secretariat oversees the knowledge management programme, including maintaining and updating the GGKP web platform. The Secretariat works closely with the Steering Committee and Knowledge Partners to ensure the latest tools, data and studies are reflected on the web platform. 6. Communications The Secretariat manages external communications including the development of the GGKP Knowledge Update newsletter, brochures, PowerPoint slides and other presentation materials for key events. In preparing these materials the Secretariat liaises closely with communications officers from partner organisations to ensure a coordinated effort. 7. Outreach Events The Secretariat is responsible for supporting the organisation of the GGKP annual conference, in collaboration with the host organisations. The Secretariat will coordinate between the host organisation, the Steering Committee, and the Advisory Committee in developing the conference programme. The Secretariat also supports the organisation of other GGKP workshops requested on an ad-hoc basis by the Steering Committee or Knowledge Partners. 31

33 GGKP Governance Structure 32