Scaling up actionable climate knowledge

M Maria Carmen Lemos (School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan) L Lisa Maillard (Great Lakes Integrated Sciences and Assessments, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Great Lakes Climate Adaptation Partnerships/Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments Team, University of Michigan) N Natalie Herbert (Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University) S Simone J. Domingue (ByWater Institute, Tulane University) K Kripa Jagannathan (Earth and Environmental Sciences Area, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) G Gabrielle Wong-Parodi (Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University) E Erica Akemi Goto (Arizona Institute for Resilience, University of Arizona) D Devin Gill (Great Lakes Integrated Sciences and Assessments, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Great Lakes Climate Adaptation Partnerships/Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments Team, University of Michigan) D Derek Van Berkel (Great Lakes Integrated Sciences and Assessments, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Great Lakes Climate Adaptation Partnerships/Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments Team, University of Michigan) S Scott Kalafatis (Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center, University of Washington) J Jenna L. Jorns (School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan) A Alex Basaraba (Emmett Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources, Stanford University) T Teal Harrison (Adaptation International)

Abstract

To address climate-driven crises, we need actionable climate knowledge to inform decision-making and support problem solving. Although the science of actionable knowledge is rapidly evolving, less is known about how and why actionable climate knowledge scales up and with what outcomes. We advance three outcome-driven pathways to scale up actionable climate knowledge: 1) broadening participation by increasing the diversity and number of actors involved in actionable climate knowledge coproduction; 2) diffusing actionable climate knowledge uptake among actors not originally involved in its coproduction, and 3) aggregating impact by coproducing actionable climate knowledge with influential actors, such as practitioners and policy-makers, whose decisions affect many others. These pathways can intersect, complement, interact, and tradeoff with each other. Understanding how these pathways work, evolve, and change is critical if we want to better inform the production and scaling of climate actionable knowledge to solve climate problems.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 122, Issue 50
Published December 16, 2025
ISSN 0027-8424
Publisher National Academy of Sciences

Authors (13)

M

Maria Carmen Lemos

School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan

L

Lisa Maillard

Great Lakes Integrated Sciences and Assessments, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Great Lakes Climate Adaptation Partnerships/Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments Team, University of Michigan

N

Natalie Herbert

Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University

S

Simone J. Domingue

ByWater Institute, Tulane University

K

Kripa Jagannathan

Earth and Environmental Sciences Area, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

G

Gabrielle Wong-Parodi

Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University

E

Erica Akemi Goto

Arizona Institute for Resilience, University of Arizona

D

Devin Gill

Great Lakes Integrated Sciences and Assessments, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Great Lakes Climate Adaptation Partnerships/Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments Team, University of Michigan

D

Derek Van Berkel

Great Lakes Integrated Sciences and Assessments, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Great Lakes Climate Adaptation Partnerships/Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments Team, University of Michigan

S

Scott Kalafatis

Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center, University of Washington

J

Jenna L. Jorns

School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan

A

Alex Basaraba

Emmett Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources, Stanford University

T

Teal Harrison

Adaptation International