Climate KIC is taking steps in transforming how climate innovation is approached across Europe with the launch of its Inclusive Design for Climate Innovation: A Practitioner’s Guide
The guidebook hopes to improve inclusivity in climate innovation, ensuring that diverse voices are present and actively leading the way.
The guidebook was developed in collaboration with Boplnc and offers a practical and structured framework to help organisations and practitioners integrate inclusivity from the ground up.
As climate goals are increasingly challenging to meet, the guidebook highlights that the most effective solutions often come from inclusivity and diverse collaborations.
Why is inclusivity more critical than ever?
Inclusivity in climate innovation means more than simply checking boxes or ensuring gender balance. It’s about engaging underrepresented voices, people from various backgrounds, geographies, and lived experiences, in a meaningful way. When inclusivity is foundational rather than an afterthought, climate initiatives become more innovative, resilient, and equitable.
The guide encourages programme designers and managers to think past traditional diversity metrics and to explore how power dynamics within organisations and value chains can impact whose voices are heard.
Who should use the guidebook?
This guidebook is designed to support a wide range of users, particularly those involved in climate entrepreneurship and programme design. It’s especially relevant for:
- Organisations supporting climate-focused small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
- Programme designers taking actionable steps to build inclusivity into their work
- Project managers who believe in inclusive approaches but lack practical tools
- Teams that are looking to deepen their impact further than fundamental diversity indicators
A five-step framework
One of the key features of the guide is its five-step project lifecycle framework. This structure takes users through each stage of a project, from initiation and planning to execution, monitoring, evaluation, and closure, offering inclusive strategies at every step.
Inside the guide, teams will find hands-on exercises and tools to:
- Understand the deeper meaning of inclusivity beyond numbers.
- Engage target communities and stakeholders throughout the process.
- Measure outcomes using inclusive and context-sensitive metrics;
- Identify and address power imbalances that may hinder participation.
- Design climate solutions that are equitable and community-led.
The guidebook acknowledges that full inclusivity is a journey, not an immediate destination. But with practical steps and continued commitment, it is achievable.
Inclusivity across Europe
This new guidebook is part of a bigger effort by the EIT Community to promote inclusivity in climate innovation. It builds on work by Climate KIC and key partners such as CATAL1.5°T ° T, Irish Aid, Green Hub, and the Salesforce Foundation. These organisations are helping to identify inclusion gaps in the climate innovation sector and embed inclusive practices into everyday operations.
As climate challenges grow more urgent, so does the need for inclusive solutions that reflect the experiences and insights of all communities. With this guidebook, Climate KIC hopes to support inclusivity in climate innovation.
