Disclaimer:
Please be aware that the content herein has not been peer reviewed. It consists of personal reflections, insights, and learnings of the contributor(s). It may not be exhaustive, nor does it aim to be authoritative knowledge.
Learnings on your challenge
What are the top key insights you generated about your learning challenge during this Action Learning Plan? (Please list a maximum of 5 key insights)
• Portfolio approach for holistic understanding: The adoption of a portfolio approach offers a significant advantage by allowing multiple stakeholders to comprehend the holistic picture and recognize interconnections within a system. This approach mitigates siloed thinking, linear causality, and reductionism, preventing oversimplification, fragmentation, and suboptimization of the system.
• System mapping reveals interdependencies in SDG Financing portfolio: System mapping exercises has uncovered over 80 interdependent elements crucial to enhancing SDG financing in the Mongolian context. Our analysis categorized these elements into five main domains: government revenue, government expenditure, mobilization of private resources, alignment of business practices, and ODA grants and loans.
• Important role of SDG Impact standard & reporting: The SDG impact standard & reporting emerged as a critical cross-cutting element across the five domains. Recognizing the low level of understanding of these standards in the country, we established a strategic partnership with a local university. Together, we are developing a resource center within the SDG finance portfolio to build and enhance local capacity for SDG impact management and measurement.
• Need for skill development in system management and leadership: The process highlighted a deficiency in skills related to system management and leadership among COs, including A-lab members. It is imperative to cultivate new skill sets within this organization, focusing on the ability to plan, organize, coordinate, and monitor activities and resources within a complex system. Additionally, there is a need to empower members, foster a shared vision, and create an environment conducive to learning and innovation to bring about positive change in complex systems.
Considering the outcomes of this learning challenge, which of the following best describe the handover process? (Please select all that apply)
Our work has not yet scaled
Can you provide more detail on your handover process?
Management has not yet reached a final decision regarding the individual or team to oversee the SDG finance portfolio, given its cross-sectoral nature. It is likely that A-lab may need to continue facilitating the portfolio for an additional half-year.
Please paste any link(s) to blog(s) or publication(s) that articulate the learnings on your frontier challenge.
Data and Methods
Relating to your types of data, why did you chose these? What gaps in available data were these addressing?
Why was it necessary to apply the above innovation method on your frontier challenge? How did these help you to unpack the system?
Partners
Please indicate what partners you have actually worked with for this learning challenge.
Please state the name of the partner:
5 different projects within the UNDP and the National University of Mongolia.
What sector does your partner belong to?
Academia
Please provide a brief description of the partnership.
5 different projects within the UNDP and the National University of Mongolia.
Business School of the National University of Mongolia and the Strengthening Systems Approach for SDGs in Mongolia project, Business and Human Rights project, Environmental Governance for Sustainable Natural Resource Management project, NDC Support Programme project and the Biodiversity finance initiative project.
Is this a new and unusual partner for UNDP?
Yes
End
Bonus question: How did the interplay of innovation methods, new forms of data and unusual partners enable you to learn & generate insights, that otherwise you would have not been able to achieve?
By integrating system thinking workshops, future foresight exercises, and cross-disciplinary brainstorming sessions, we encouraged diverse perspectives and creative problem-solving. This interplay of innovation methods, new data, and unusual partners enabled us to uncover insights that transcended conventional boundaries. We discovered patterns and opportunities that would have been overlooked using traditional approaches alone, ultimately enhancing the impact and effectiveness of SDG Financing portfolio initiatives.
Please upload any further supporting evidence / documents / data you have produced on your frontier challenge that showcase your learnings.
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4Quality education
7Affordable and clean energy
17Partnerships for the goals
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