DSA member IIED has produced an innovative tool which aims to recognise the priorities and increase the impacts of European environment and development policies, research practices and funding in other parts of the world. Known as the IIED Europe Global Research Priority Tracker, it was informed by an eight month study in 2022 of a pool of experts from the Majority World (i.e. Africa, Asia, South and Central America and the Caribbean) for their priority research topics for the European Union.

The result is 230 research priorities in a searchable database that will allow global researchers, policymakers and funders to build their understanding of which research topics Majority World actors would like the EU to focus its research and funding on.

Policies developed within Europe without consideration of the needs and expertise in the geographies in which the research will have an impact, are less likely to succeed so the tracker aims to inform decision making around funding and research priorities.

IIED said that the tracker is a global first for Europe as it is the first time that a pool of experts largely from the Global South have been asked for their opinion on priority research topics for the EU in a way that is methodologically robust

The database can be accessed on the IIED website.

IIED is one of the world’s leading independent policy and action research organisations, with a mission is to build a fairer, more sustainable world, using evidence, action and influence in partnership with others.