The Climate Change Knowledge Network (CCKN) came together in 1998 to increase the exchange of knowledge and research expertise between developed and developing countries on climate change-related activities and to make this knowledge accessible to all countries of the world. Through the cross fertilization of ideas and collaborative efforts between and among members of the network, the CCKN strives to strengthen the pool of knowledge on climate change that can be fed into the international policy process.
The member organizations of the CCKN collectively seek to:
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promote a more effective, sustainable and equitable climate change regime through capacity building, research and communication on issues such as the Kyoto mechanisms, adaptation and technology transfer;
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improve dialogue and exchange among industrialized and developing countries in an effort to enhance understanding of the linkages between climate change and sustainable development in all regions; and
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develop the capacity of its own member organizations to create and communicate policy-relevant, country- and region-specific knowledge on climate change.
The CCKN puts a particular emphasis on using its unique combination of substantive, technical and geographic expertise and perspectives to develop the capacity of developing countries to respond to climate change in a manner consistent with their own sustainable development priorities.
Why was the Climate Change Knowledge Network established?
The Climate Change Knowledge Network was established to create knowledge and enhance capacity in developing and developed countries to shape an effective, equitable and sustainable international climate change regime. Its founders recognized the potential for a knowledge network that brought together developing and developed country organizations to:
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build capacity to make reasonable judgement in international negotiations to ensure explicit linkages are made between development and climate change;
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enable network members to take the knowledge gained from their various projects and share it with their national governments and local stakeholders; and
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to bridge the gap between development and climate change by disseminating knowledge gained through research activities to a wider audience
The knowledge network is based on equity and mutual learning. Along with activities that involve the entire network, member organizations are encouraged to collaborate with other members, where partnerships can make activities more effective.
How does the Climate Change Knowledge Network work?
The Climate Change Knowledge Network is facilitated by a network coordination unit housed at the International Institute for Sustainable Development. Its members fall into two categories:
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Core Members: Selected from developing and developed countries, core members participate in the network’s decision-making processes, research projects and fundraising activities. Core members share information and outcomes of their research, developments in their respective countries and assist in network promotion as appropriate.
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Associate Members: Former core members of the network as well as organizations with an ongoing interest or work program related to climate change may become associate members of the network by maintaining linkages between their objectives and the work of the network.
Members of the network are invited to participate based upon their policy research capacity and links with government, industry and other stakeholders in their countries or regions.
Network members typically meet in person once a year in conjunction with the annual meeting the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP). During the remainder of the year, members meet as part of their joint projects and common activities, and remain in contact by e-mail and conference calls.
What type of activities does the network undertake?
CCKN members are involved in:
By sharing research, experience and knowledge among network members, policy issues on climate change can be advanced more quickly and ideas shared more broadly. The member organizations identify relevant research areas and work collaboratively on them to influence the international climate change process, as well as processes within their respective countries.
The socio-economic and environmental impacts that will result from implementing the Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol need to be assessed. The Climate Change Knowledge Network conducts these assessments project by project.
Members are asked to provide ideas and comments for each project, ensuring that the socio-economic and environmental impacts are considered. This type of research work provides broader coverage of the climate change policy issue than the individual member and joint-member projects noted above.
The network coordination unit at IISD helps member organizations deliver their research via the Internet. The aim is to expand networking capacity within developing countries and increase dissemination of knowledge on climate change created in the South.
Since its establishment, the Climate Change Knowledge Network has undertaken the following activities:
To provide negotiators from developing countries with the tools and skills to participate effectively alongside larger negotiating teams and contribute to an equitable negotiating process, CCKN partners held two successful capacity building workshops in July 2000: a five-day workshop for African negotiators in Dakar, Senegal; and a similar workshop for Latin American and Caribbean negotiators held in Miami, USA. Building on the outcomes of the workshops, a book entitled “On Behalf of My Delegation,…” A Survival Guide for Developing Country Climate Negotiators was produced by the CCKN and launched at COP-6 (November 2000). This book was subsequently translated into Spanish and French.
The CCKN established the Climate Compendium to provide a thorough, regularly-updated overview of the key topics and actors as well as the state of the climate negotiations. Many of the issues under discussion will have far-reaching implications for developing countries, yet these are the countries facing the greatest challenges in participating effectively in the climate change negotiating process.
The CCKN has developed a multi-phase work program to assess the role of decentralized renewable energy in sustainable development, poverty alleviation and greenhouse gas mitigation through the Kyoto mechanism. The first stage of this work plan was the commissioning of a series of short scoping studies completed by CCKN developing country partners. These studies assessed the national state of decentralized renewable energy in China, India, Senegal, Zimbabwe and Chile and were completed in early 2002.
In the second stage, the CCKN is examining ways to encourage the use of decentralized renewable energy systems through the CDM that will also contribute to sustainable development, in the new publication entitled “Seeing the Light: Adapting to climate change with decentralized renewable energy in developing countries”
To better understand the steps involved with the establishment of the National Authorities offices to enable developing countries to participate as host countries in the CDM, CCKN partners published the book, Establishing National Authorities for the Clean Development Mechanism. The book identifies the specific steps needed to establish national programs, presents various Latin American experiences and encourages other countries to adapt the lessons learned to their local needs.
Recognizing that developing and least developed countries are the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, the CCKN is undertaking research on the long-term policy measures and capacity building activities that will be needed. The CCKN’s first significant project in this area teamed IISD, CICERO and TERI together to explore the simultaneous impacts of economic changes and climate change for India’s agricultural sector.
Who has membership in the CCKN?
Currently there are 12 core members of the Climate Change Knowledge Network.
Developing Countries Project Partners:
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Energy Research Institute (ERI), China
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Environnement et développement du tiers-monde (ENDA-Energie), Senegal
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Southern Centre for Energy and Environment (SCEE), Zimbabwe
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IVIG/Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (COPPE), Brazil
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Institute of Energy Economics of the Bariloche Foundation (IDEE), Argentina
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The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), India
Developed Country Project Partners:
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Center for International Climate and Environmental Research – Oslo (CICERO), Norway
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International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), Canada
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Institute for Environment Studies (IVM), The Netherlands
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Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), Sweden
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Center for Sustainable Development in the Americas (CSDA), United States
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World Resources Institute (WRI), United States
For more information about the CCKN and its activities, please contact: Jo-Ellen Parry or Jodi Browne
The CCKN and its activities are supported by:
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