A@A Knowledge Network: Meeting #1

Summary

The Adaptation at Altitude (A@A) Knowledge Network convened its firstmeeting on 30th May 2023. The meeting was hosted online by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) under the Adaptation at Altitudeprogrammesupported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). The meeting gathered 10 participants all working onor with an interest in mountain environments.

The A@A Knowledge Network meeting was opened by Rosie Witton (SEI), who provided a brief overview of the A@A programme and the partners involved; and an introduction to the A@A Knowledge Network and its intended aims. This was followed by a run-through of the key platforms to be utilised by the A@A Knowledge Network as it grows and evolves:

• The ‘Climate Change Adaptation in Mountains’ theme space, hosted on the weADAPT platform. Here, the A@A Knowledge Network communitywill be able to connect with those working on and interested in climate change adaptation in mountains; share knowledge and relevant publications; and initiate discussions and ‘call for knowledge’ requests.

• The A@A Solutions Portal, an online space showcasing over 80 climate change adaptation solutions in mountain regions across the globe. The A@A Knowledge Network community will be encouraged to contribute their own projects to the portal (in line with the selection criteria), to not only increase the visibility of their work but help foster translation and uptake of solutions elsewhere.

The second half of the meeting focused on gathering feedback from the A@A Knowledge Network community to help tailor future meetings and events to their needs and interests. Kate Williamson (SEI) introduced an interactive Miro board activity to spark discussion.

Meeting Outcomes

The key discussion points and outcomes of this activity are summarised below:

1. What key topic areas, relating to climate change adaptation in mountains, would you like to learn more about/collaborate on?

The A@A Knowledge Network community expressed interest in a variety of topics,includingways in which mountain adaptation solutions and designed and created (e.g. co-creation of knowledge, partnerships with government); thematic areas for mountain adaptation strategies and related discussions to focus on (e.g. ecosystem-based adaptation, loss and damage, potable water); and the target audience groups and overall communication of mountain adaptation solutions (e.g. marginalised communities, sharing and linking solutions with policymakers).

2.What kinds of knowledge products would you find useful for supporting your work and how would you want to use them?

The A@A Knowledge Network communityproposeda variety of outputs and learning resources to help their work and the wider mountain community. These included:

• a comparative analysis of adaptation solutions in mountain regions;
• a synthesis of how climate change adaptation in mountain regions has been/can be monitored and evaluated;
• training outputs to aid the transfer of knowledge, particularly to local solution providers;
• good practice guides with experiences from mountain regions across the globe; and
• a practical guide focusing on project financing options for climate change adaptation in mountain regions.

3.What kinds of actors would you find it most useful to be able to find and engage with?

The consensus was that it would be useful to engage with a diverse set of stakeholders, including those in government and policy, practitioners and solution providers, community actors, finance partners, NGOs, and scientists.

4. What meeting format would you find the most helpful for supporting your work on climate adaptation in mountains?

The A@A Knowledge Network community strongly favoured an interactive format for the A@A knowledge network, allowing space for collaboration and workshopping on ideas and adaptation solutions. Additionally, being able to share their own work with wider audiences and connect with relevant people and existing communities of practice were considered important factors going forwards.

This feedback has since informed the specific objectives of the A@A Knowledge Network:

• Showcase A@A KN members’ work relating to climate change adaptation in the mountains through interactive learning events, to create an understanding of what knowledge already exists, and how it can be built upon through partnerships between members.

• Promote a space for inter-regional sharing between mountain platforms on climate change adaptation and build on the momentum of existing regional communities of practice.

What Next?

To keep informed about upcoming meetings and events, please refer to our A@A Knowledge Network homepage.