Using evidence mapping and co-production to establish a responsive evidence synthesis service in the environmental sector in South Africa

Policymakers in the environmental sector require timely access to the most relevant and high-quality evidence in order to support decision-making. Rapid response services (RRS) present one mechanism to provide these environmental policymakers with such access. Since 2018, the Johannesburg Centre for Environmental Evidence has implemented such an RRS with the National Department of Environmental Affairs in South Africa. Modelled on the pioneering RRS in Uganda at Makerere University, our service too is based on rapid evidence synthesis methodology. The South African Responsive Environmental Evidence Service (REES) is powered by a mega map of all environmental evidence in the county, comprising over 2000 pieces of evidence. In addition, our service places an emphasis on co-construction of evidence introducing an element of ‘responsiveness’ over ‘rapidness’. That is, the environmental policymakers are involved in each step of the rapid evidence response and shape its design. This presentation will summarise our learning on the RESS including the initial design and subsequent adaptations.