Whose Data Counts? Evidence for Climate Decisions
From government policy and corporate reporting to investment decisions and community action, the demand for climate and sustainability data has never been greater. Yet as expectations for measurement continue to rise, important questions remain about what evidence is needed, who produces it, and how it is used.
This discussion will explore the growing role of data in shaping climate, nature, and social outcomes. Participants will examine how decision-makers can distinguish meaningful evidence from reporting overload, what kinds of data investors, boards, policymakers, and assurance providers actually need, and where current measurement frameworks fall short. The conversation will also consider the challenge of integrating environmental, social, and community impacts into decision-making with the same rigor increasingly applied to carbon and financial metrics.
At the same time, the discussion will challenge traditional assumptions about who generates knowledge. From government innovation labs to citizen science initiatives and community-led monitoring, new approaches are expanding the range of actors contributing evidence and influencing decisions. How can these sources of data be made credible, useful, and actionable without excluding the people closest to the issues being measured?
As climate and sustainability commitments become more ambitious, the quality of decisions will increasingly depend on the quality of evidence behind them. This conversation asks not only how to measure impact, but how to build data systems that are trusted, practical, inclusive, and capable of supporting a safe and just transition.
Discussion Group Leaders
Gargi Pal is Lead - Energy Environment Climate Change at J-PAL South Asia, advancing evidence-based solutions for climate, air quality, water, and public health challenges.
Victoria Gomez is ESG Project Manager at Alltech, advancing sustainability across supply chains through environmental stewardship and social engagement.
Discussion Questions
What kinds of climate, nature, and social impact data are most useful for informing real-world decisions, and where are the biggest evidence gaps today?
How can organizations balance the growing demand for measurement, reporting, and assurance with the practical realities of collecting high-quality data on the ground?
What role should citizen science, community-generated data, and other non-traditional sources of evidence play in policy, investment, and corporate decision-making?
How can climate, nature, and social outcomes be measured in ways that are both rigorous enough for accountability and inclusive enough to reflect lived experience and local realities?