The role of knowledge brokers in advancing climate action

The document outlines a spectrum of knowledge brokering roles—infomediary, knowledge translator, knowledge co-creator, and innovation broker—emphasizing that moving knowledge into action requires navigating power dynamics and institutional silos. It advocates for a transition toward 'innovation brokering' to achieve systemic change, highlighting a case study in Namibia where the University of Namibia combined climate impact data with capacity strengthening and partnership building to influence policy.

• Knowledge brokering is defined as the "process of moving knowledge into action" by linking knowledge producers and users. This role exists on a spectrum ranging from informational tasks to systemic change: 'infomediaries' aggregate information; 'knowledge translators' package it for specific audiences; 'knowledge co-creators' facilitate collaborative sense-making; and 'innovation brokers' seek 'systemic change' by reorganising institutional practices and bridging silos.
• Effective climate action requires integrating diverse knowledge types, including 'western scientific knowledge', 'experiential, applied knowledge' from practitioners, and 'traditional, often tacit knowledge' held by Indigenous communities and local stakeholders.
• Due to the scale of the climate crisis, the document argues that practice must move beyond making knowledge accessible toward 'innovation brokering'. This involves recognizing that 'relationships, power dynamics, trust and conflict management' are as important as accurate information for shifting policy and governance.
• In Namibia, the University of Namibia advanced climate action by pairing data on 1.5°C temperature changes with a 'long-term process of capacity strengthening' for government officials, building partnerships with parliamentarians, and using 'interactive, solutions-oriented tools' for stakeholder engagement.

APA

Scodanibbio, L., McNamara, L., du Toit, M., & Cundill, G. (2023). The role of knowledge brokers in advancing climate action. Climate and Development Knowledge Network. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/2023-02/CDKN%20Role%20of%20knowledge%20brokers_WEB.pdf

Chicago

Scodanibbio, Lucia, Lisa McNamara, Michelle du Toit, and Georgina Cundill. The role of knowledge brokers in advancing climate action. Climate and Development Knowledge Network, 2023. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/2023-02/CDKN%20Role%20of%20knowledge%20brokers_WEB.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Scodanibbio |first1=Lucia |last2=McNamara |first2=Lisa |last3=du Toit |first3=Michelle |last4=Cundill |first4=Georgina |title=The role of knowledge brokers in advancing climate action |publisher=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |date=February 2023 |url=https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/2023-02/CDKN%20Role%20of%20knowledge%20brokers_WEB.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{scodanibbio2023role, author = {Scodanibbio, Lucia and McNamara, Lisa and du Toit, Michelle and Cundill, Georgina}, title = {{The role of knowledge brokers in advancing climate action}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2023}, month = feb, url = {https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/2023-02/CDKN%20Role%20of%20knowledge%20brokers_WEB.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }