Mapping the Messy: Rethinking Impact in Climate Activism

Ready to Rethink Impact? This isn’t just theory. It’s a living, breathing ME&I Mission Statement – and you can help shape it. Connect with project lead Susan to explore, contribute, and apply it in your own work.

What's wrong with 'business-as-usual' ME&I

Mapping the Messy: Rethinking Impact in Climate Activism

A NEW APPROACH

THE CHALLENGE

WHY THIS MATTERS

Traditional Monitoring, Evaluation & Impact (ME&I) models assume change is neat, planned, and trackable. But climate activism doesn’t work like that. Social movements are unpredictable, emotional, relational, and constantly adapting. Measuring impact with rigid indicators often misses what really matters.

For funders

Research

Key principles

For policymakers

Relationships are impact

Embrace uncertainty

Impact is iterative

For activists

Let’s make room for change that’s real, not just reportable.

Assumes change is linear and can be mapped in advance

Prioritises measurable outcomes over meaningful ones

Penalises experimentation, risk-taking, and learning

Ignores trust, relationships, and emergent dynamics