271 - Linking processes and outcomes towards transformative evaluation: Lessons from the Intermountain West

Abstract Information: The urgency of addressing global tipping points and continuing to transition towards sustainability has garnered widespread acknowledgment in recent years (Diaz et al., 2019). Global assessments by IPBES (2019), IPCC (2018), and MEA (2005), emphasize the critical need for transformative change, including tools and indicators to evaluate progress towards it. However, long-term evaluation of program outcomes specific to adaptation (incremental or transformative) is rare, and data sets to support progress towards transformative goals are limited (Church et al., 2022; Siders et al., 2019). Climate change research and evaluation often overlooks historical injustices (e.g., redlining, dispossession of Indigenous lands, environmental injustice) which are intertwined with climate vulnerabilities, particularly relevant to Indigenous and other vulnerable communities (Whyte, 2018; Wilson & Inkster, 2019). Evaluating progress towards transformative change, which fundamentally alters a system's ecological and/or social properties and functions to reduce vulnerability and promote justice and resilience, remains a challenge due to the lack of comprehensive and representative evaluation frameworks (Kates, Travis, and Wilbanks, 2012; Patton, 2021). The persistence of climate change disparities highlights a glaring gap in our understanding of the impacts and needs of the most vulnerable communities. Despite the evidence, engagement with these communities remains insufficient, leading to limited reciprocal learning and inclusive evaluations (Arsenault et al., 2018; Smith, 2012). Our team, as part of the NSF Wyoming Anticipating Climate Transitions (WyACT) project, aims to bridge this gap by integrating the science and art of evaluation. We are working to develop comprehensive evaluation indicators and tools through knowledge co-production, involving diverse knowledge holders and explicitly working to diffuse power and acknowledge inequities to amplify all voices in climate decision-making. Our framework, developed through authentic engagement and dialogue, focuses on adaptive capacity indicators and evaluation tools. We will discuss the co-production process involving team members and community partners, highlighting the framework’s transferability and our future steps.