Joining the dots: Learning to work collaboratively to address climate change

This think piece, co-authored by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and WWF-UK, explores the barriers and opportunities for adopting integrated, collaborative governance approaches to address climate change, development, and environmental sustainability. Based on 2010-2011 research and workshops in Belize, Nepal, and Tanzania, the report advocates for 'collective learning' and systems thinking to overcome fragmented sectoral policies and institutional silos.

• Governance systems in Belize, Nepal, and Tanzania are characterized by fragmentation, where climate change is primarily framed as an environmental issue rather than a cross-sectoral challenge. This narrow framing makes it difficult for organizations with commercial or development mandates to integrate climate concerns into their work, often leaving the responsibility to ministries with limited influence.
• Several systemic barriers hinder the integration of climate and development policies, including disjointed sectoral frameworks, weak coordination mechanisms, and limited budgetary support for cross-sectoral actions. Additionally, political volatility (notably in Nepal) and a lack of trust between government, NGOs, and the private sector undermine collaborative efforts.
• There is a significant gap between the creation of policy and the capacity to implement it. In all three studied countries, participants perceived that existing policies, strategies, and plans are more advanced than the institutional capacities and resources required to operationalize them.
• Market-based mechanisms, specifically Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) and Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD), are viewed as opportunities for innovation and diversifying economic bases. However, these are hindered by a lack of institutional arrangements to link local successes—such as mangrove valuation in Belize—to national-level support.
• Collective learning processes—defined as the co-creation of knowledge through facilitated interaction—can help stakeholders move from fragmented decision-making toward integrated governance. Participants reported that grappling with complex, interlinked problems together provided greater clarity and a better understanding of trade-offs.
• NGOs and civil society organizations serve as critical 'boundary organisations' that bridge the gap between national and local government levels. They facilitate the flow of knowledge, such as bringing local practices to national climate change committees, and help build the trust necessary for inter-sectoral collaboration.

APA

Taylor, A., Devisscher, T., Jeans, H., & Phillips, J. (2013). Joining the dots: Learning to work collaboratively to address climate change. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Climate/sei-wwf-joining-the-dots.pdf

Chicago

Taylor, Anna, Tahia Devisscher, Helen Jeans, and Joanna Phillips. Joining the dots: Learning to work collaboratively to address climate change. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2013. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Climate/sei-wwf-joining-the-dots.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Taylor |first1=Anna |last2=Devisscher |first2=Tahia |last3=Jeans |first3=Helen |last4=Phillips |first4=Joanna |title=Joining the dots: Learning to work collaboratively to address climate change |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=2013 |url=https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Climate/sei-wwf-joining-the-dots.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{taylor2013joining, author = {Taylor, Anna and Devisscher, Tahia and Jeans, Helen and Phillips, Joanna}, title = {{Joining the dots: Learning to work collaboratively to address climate change}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2013}, url = {https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Climate/sei-wwf-joining-the-dots.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }