Lab Log

Communities and climate change: Learning is part of the process

Peter Capener - 26.03.2009

How can we hope to successfully replicate or scale innovative approaches to carbon reduction through community innovation if we don't take the time to evaluate and reflect on progress made?

How can we hope to successfully replicate or scale innovative approaches to carbon reduction through community innovation if we don't take the time to evaluate and reflect on progress made?

So I was particularly excited about the opportunity to delve a bit deeper into how and why the community led responses to climate change, currently being fostered through NESTA's Big Green Challenge, are achieving their impacts.

NESTA has started a substantial monitoring and evaluation process around the Big Green Challenge that will be drawing out learning around the value and impact of the finalist's activities as well as the challenge prize process. Initial research currently underway to characterise the approaches adopted by the 355 applicants to the Big Green Challenge is already highlighting some interesting issues.

For example, early findings suggest that communities are often keen to generate systemic change in their local areas. But unless communities are able to also focus on smaller scale changes that can be delivered more quickly, there is a significant danger of losing the enthusiasm and momentum necessary to generate the longer term impacts. The research also highlights the potential for community innovation, but also flags the need to support communities that are often not able or well placed to scale or replicate their ideas.

We will be looking to disseminate our learning as it develops during this Big Green Challenge year. So if you're interested in the role communities can play in developing innovative responses to the threat of climate change - watch this space!