Pact working groups and members

The members form the Pact; they both contribute and benefit. This means members enrich each other’s activities, as they strengthen and accelerate progress through collaboration. Pact members organise activities that align with their needs. KIN facilitates this cooperation and provides support as flexibly as possible. In doing so, we specifically look for what has yet to take off within the current system.

The focus of the working groups

We contribute ideas and seek new ways of funding that support these new collaborations. A few key elements are central to these activities, namely: transdisciplinary work for transitions, a knowledge component, and a substantive focus on system transitions for a climate-neutral and climate-resilient future.

KIN does not focus on monodisciplinary research. Nor do we fund ongoing research. However, as a governing body under NWO, we can assist in finding suitable grants or refer you to other networks or organisations that are engaged in these areas.

The working groups with active members meet at least once. During this meeting, the theme is set, and the objectives of the working group are established. This could include organising events or producing knowledge products or communication tools. We also support the working groups from KIN, for instance, by providing useful resources and a small support budget.

The working groups are made up of active members. This means that these members are part of the Pact and have signed the pledge and core values. Non-active members or general members have not yet done so.

Which working groups are active and what is their status?

Science policy interface

This collaboration between KIN and the Science4Policy team (Ministry of Education, Culture and Science) brings together researchers and policymakers from initiatives that aim to strengthen complex (climate) policy challenges through science. From practical bottlenecks, we seek solutions to accelerate this movement. The focus of the next steps centres on the question: “How can we make climate policy less technocratic?”

The next event will be a field trip with an artist, to move beyond discussions and into the experience of change. The date will be scheduled (end of October). Interested? Email Björk Johannes at b.johannes@nwo.nl.

The next in-person meeting is on Thursday, 5th December from 14:00 to 16:30, hosted by the HKU in Utrecht.

The next online meeting is scheduled for 6th February 2025, from 15:00 to 16:30.

Citizen dialogue

Does involving residents genuinely contribute to climate justice? How could this be enhanced? A scoping session is being prepared around this question for Thursday, 28th November 2024.

Due to the intended diversity of participants and maximum capacity, the session is currently by invitation only. As a Pact member, you will receive a personal invitation from the organisation, facilitated by the Number5 foundation.

Transdisciplinary work for transitions

Collaborating across disciplines and sectors to achieve complex (climate) transitions – how do you do this in practice? KIN and Het Groene Brein are organising a Community of Practice (CoP). The first kick-off session in June focused on introductions and group dynamics of transdisciplinary work for transitions, through the discussion of a practical case study. In the second session in September, the theme of ‘power within transdisciplinary work’ was explored, and the expected outcomes of the CoP became clearer.

The third session will likely take place at the Sustainability Summit organised by Erasmus University Rotterdam. You can register for the event via the EUR website.

Education and training

Knowledge and awareness can support climate transitions, but what role do established education and training programmes play in this? In collaboration with the National Platform of Professors on Climate and System Transitions (LLKS), a core group has been formed. The central question is: what strategy should we pursue to make the systems perspective regarding a climate-resilient society part of education and training curricula? Currently, efforts are being made to align with the many existing analyses and initiatives, including those of the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science.

What opposing forces hinder the climate transition? In collaboration with ClimateObstructionNL.

Why do we know so much yet see so little change towards a climate-neutral future? Climate obstruction is a field of research focused on the deliberate opposing forces, often from established interests. Together with ClimateObstructionNL, KIN is launching a working group to exchange knowledge on this topic and better utilise it to accelerate system transitions.

The working group is currently open to those interested in contributing ideas on how best to exchange knowledge on this matter.

Implementation of the Water-Soil-Network steering policy

Over the next two months, we are exploring the field in collaboration with experts. What initiatives are underway, who are the problem owners, and where can KIN add value? Currently, through field exploration, we are seeking collaboration with problem owners and practical stakeholders, such as organisations involved in the energy transition, municipalities, and provinces.

The opportunities of modular and granular solutions

Over the next two months, we are exploring the field in collaboration with experts. What initiatives are underway, who are the problem owners, and where can KIN add value? Currently, through field exploration, we are seeking collaboration with problem owners and societal stakeholders, such as municipalities and provinces.

Art and Imagination

A sustainable society requires us to imagine something that does not yet exist. While models and scenarios help us think in terms of practical possibilities and pathways, the arts and creative sector can tap into people’s desires, aspirations, and transform seemingly impossible realities into attainable visions of the future. At least… if we involve artists and creative professionals in climate transitions. With this working group, we aim to build that bridge.

The first meeting will most likely take place at the We Are Warming Up festival, Tolhuistuin Amsterdam, on 7th November. Mark it in your calendar! (Dutch source)

Contribute?

Would you like to learn more about this topic, contribute your expertise, or is there a similar initiative within your organisation that we could connect with? Email us!

Demand-driven working: how do we do that?

Demand-driven working is more than a buzzword; it requires active collaboration between Pact members and a dynamic interaction with KIN. There are three ways in which themes are raised with KIN:

  • Every year, we make a targeted inquiry to Pact members about the topics and issues they are dealing with, to ensure there is a real connection between what is happening and what we do (this has not yet taken place as the Pact is still being established, but an open consultation in 2023 served as input).

  • Pact members can initiate working groups and request support from KIN.

  • KIN sets up a thematic working group in response to signals from outside the Pact (e.g. from collaboration partners) and invites Pact members to participate.

Since KIN has limited resources and expertise across all themes, the Strategy and Advisory Board acts as a filter to maintain focus and allocate resources optimally.

The themes of the working groups: demand-driven working

At the founding of KIN, we identified several transition themes. These themes provide a framework for the topics KIN operates on. They are broadly formulated and encompass both adaptation and mitigation. However, they are not yet concrete enough to result in ‘issues’ to address. That is precisely one of the key functions of the Pact.

With the Pact, we aim to reflect society, representing the parties that are working hard on transitions. They (which means you) see in practice where incentives are lacking or barriers exist. By gathering issues from the Pact, we aim to bring the right knowledge to the right places and, step by step, help accelerate system transitions.

The latest news from the Pact

What’s in the first advice from the strategy and advisory council?

The Strategy and Advisory Council (SAR) of the KIN Pact issued its first advice on prioritising knowledge questions, which the steering group adopted. The SAR identified four key challenges: implementing Water-Soil-Network policy, adaptation versus acceptance, opportunities for modular solutions, and preventing displacement in scarcity. This advice provides direction for KIN, focusing on problem owners’ needs. Next steps include identifying problem owners and aligning with ongoing programmes. For more information, see the public summary or full appendix. Together, we aim for a climate-neutral and climate-resilient Netherlands.

Read more »

KIN Pact officially launched on April 18th

With a festive launch event at the Museon-Omniversum in The Hague, the Climate Research Initiative Netherlands (KIN) Pact officially went live on Thursday, April 18th. This means that societal organizations, governments, businesses, and knowledge institutions can now join the transdisciplinary network committed to accelerating system transitions.

Read more »

The Latest Updates from the KIN Pact

The KIN Pact brings parties together to better share and implement climate knowledge in practice. But should the KIN Pact work in practice? To shape this, we have worked hard on the organization of the KIN Pact in recent months. We would like to take you through the latest developments and the outlook for 2024.

Read more »

Recaps van de sessies

We houden je graag op de hoogte

Heb je specifieke vragen over dit programma, THRIVE of de wetenschappers? Neem gerust contact met ons op. We kijken uit naar de volgende bijeenkomsten en houden je graag op de hoogte van de voortgang van deze getalenteerde PhD-kandidaten.

Stay informed through the Pact newsletter

In the monthly KIN newsletter, we share general KIN news, such as updates on programmes or important announcements. However, there is also a Pact newsletter, specifically for Pact members or prospective members.