A seed in the forest or a drop in the ocean? Innovations in systems thinking-based measurement, evidence and learning in climate action

30 October 2026 | 13:15 CEST to 13:45 CEST | Lille, France

Abstract

The Climate Strategy, Monitoring, Impact, Learning and Evaluation (SMILE) Community of Practice is a diverse network of practitioners seeking to reshape the strategy, evidence, knowledge, and learning ecosystem in climate philanthropy. Launched in 2023, and now with 130+ active members from around the world and a broad array of friends and allies, the community builds on the power of collective learning to push the current frontiers in thinking and practice, foster innovation, amplify emergent practices and support uptake at scale.

This session will unpack what is specific about SMILE in climate work, and its implications to how it is implemented. The panelists will share examples of innovative practices, approaches and frameworks resulting from collaboration amongst community members. These examples are testament to the transformative power of the collective, and serve as inspiration, particularly in times when we most need inclusive, regenerative collective learning spaces

The panel will include the following sessions:

1. Reframing our Practice as SMILE: Given the complexities of climate work, SMILE can give practitioners the language to support a broader role for evidence and learning within organizations and the field. The presenter will outline the concept of SMILE, why it is needed in climate, and how the Climate SMILE Community of Practice is supporting practitioners and the field.
2. Climate Impact Investing: The Impact Measurement and Management (IMM) Playbook: After identifying gaps in tools and resources for social impact investors to measure their climate impact, a group of funders spearheaded the development of the first Climate IMM Playbook. This collective effort engaged 100+ leading practitioners to produce a practical, user-focused and flexible resource, published in March 2026. The session will introduce the Playbook and its relevance to shift practice and increase investments for climate.
3. Measuring Systemic Impact: Measuring impact across a large portfolio entails the challenges of balancing rigor and feasibility and addressing the attribution versus contribution dilemma in multi-stakeholder interventions. The presentation will discuss how the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP — a collaborative focused on renewable energy and energy access across 30+ countries) developed a SMILE framework for measuring systemic impact that addresses these challenges and illustrate how measurement can inform program design.
4. Conversation-based Reporting: The introduction of an innovation in practice, such as moving an entire organization from written reporting to conversation-based reporting (CBR) can be challenging. CBR is relational and mutually beneficial (rather than extractive), curious and dynamic (rather than prescriptive and performative), and recognizes the opportunity cost of investing resources in SMILE. The presenter will outline the principles behind CBR and the process and lessons from piloting it within the Climate Emergency Collaboration Group.

The panelists will invite questions from the audience and encourage open reflective discussion about how to support innovation uptake, and about the importance of learning communities as collective civic spaces that promote democratic values such as inclusion, diversity, and solidarity.

Rationale and Objectives

In the rapidly changing world we find ourselves in, the climate crisis and the risk of erosion of democratic values, the mere act of practicing reflection, challenging dominant narratives, engaging in collective impact spaces and learning communities that thrive on inclusion, diversity and solidarity can be make significant contributions to vibrant democracies. Being in community with others helps build our muscle to listen to each other, engage in generative dialogues with others with different opinions, navigate different world views and experiences, and build on them to advance our practice together. Climate SMILE has been a values-driven community from the onset, and we are already seeing exciting results of what we can achieve together sustained by these values. Moreover, addressing the climate crisis requires us to act systemically: change systems and behave like a system. Innovation and the uptake of new practices are unlikely to succeed without a supportive environment, which is what this community is seeking to provide.

The panel brings together four sessions that are highly relevant to the conference and strand themes. It weaves together the following aspects:

New methods: Innovative approaches and practices that take measurement, evaluation, and learning in complex systems to new frontiers, with a specific focus on climate action

Systemic learning: learning about systems— and learning as a system

Responsiveness: collective learning as an opportunity to elevate diverse perspectives and voices, and shift power dynamics between funders and implementers

Measurement tools and approaches for climate finance: Systems thinking-based frameworks and practices, with concrete examples and practical applications in climate work

The panel addresses the following objectives:

1. To share our learning in designing and developing a global, diverse, and dynamic community of practice to increase field-level collaboration and pushing the boundaries of our current practice
2. To present concrete and practical innovations of relevance for the field
3. To inspire others to imagine new possibilities, challenge outdated and extractive practices, and seek opportunities to introduce innovations in their own contexts
4. To promote a constructive dialogue with participants about the role of learning communities as spaces to promote and exercise democratic values.

Lille Grand Palais
Room 3.3
1 Bd des Cités Unies
59800 Lille, France