Understanding Needs, Meeting Demands

This policy brief presents research on how users interact with online climate knowledge brokering (CKB) platforms, based on surveys of over 200 users and four case studies. The findings indicate a misalignment between the research-oriented user base and the policy-maker targets of many platforms, highlighting a need for platforms to move beyond supply-driven models toward a better understanding of user demand and the integration of human facilitation.

• Online CKB platforms are primarily used by research-oriented actors from both developed and developing countries, which contradicts the focus on policy-makers seen in many platform designs. Consequently, these platforms often fail to reach critical intermediaries like the media or 'frontline actors'—those in regions most vulnerable to climate change.
• User behavior remains centered on traditional information-seeking patterns; most users begin their searches via Google or specific institutional sites like the UNFCCC and seek 'paper-based' products such as journal articles and research reports. There is little evidence that users have adopted newer technologies for data visualization or social media interaction for these purposes.
• While users express a desire to be linked to other people and personal experiences, they generally prefer receiving information over sharing their own knowledge online. The authors suggest that for platforms to move from simple information intermediary roles to fostering change, they must invest in facilitated human interaction rather than relying solely on technology-driven solutions like expert rosters.
• There is a risk that CKB platforms are 'supply-driven,' operating on the assumption that increasing the availability of online knowledge automatically leads to evidence-based policy. This often results in services that are not fit for purpose or a duplication of efforts because they are not designed based on a thorough understanding of actual user needs.
• Technological barriers persist for users in developing countries, specifically regarding the quality of ICTs and Internet resources. This was notably observed in the case studies of the Eldis Climate Change Resource Guide and AfricaAdapt, suggesting that mobile web access in the global South is not uniform.

APA

Hammill, A., Harvey, B., & Echeverria, D. (2012). Understanding Needs, Meeting Demands. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/understanding_needs.pdf

Chicago

Hammill, Anne, Blane Harvey, and Daniella Echeverria. Understanding Needs, Meeting Demands. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2012. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/understanding_needs.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Hammill |first1=Anne |last2=Harvey |first2=Blane |last3=Echeverria |first3=Daniella |title=Understanding Needs, Meeting Demands |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=2012 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/understanding_needs.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{hammill2012understanding, author = {Hammill, Anne and Harvey, Blane and Echeverria, Daniella}, title = {{Understanding Needs, Meeting Demands}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2012}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/understanding_needs.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }