MSPs can foster joint learning and help develop new solutions. To do so, however, they need clear structures for collaboration, fair opportunities for participation and transparent decision-making processes. They should also be able to demonstrate what they contribute and why their work matters.
MSPs bring together stakeholders from government, business, civil society, academia and other sectors. They can pool different perspectives, knowledge and resources that individual stakeholders often lack on their own. This creates opportunities to work together on challenges that extend beyond the boundaries of individual sectors. However, bringing diverse stakeholders together is not enough to make an MSP effective. Its ability to make a difference also depends on factors such as its focus, the political context, funding and organisational structure. What is clear is that MSPs can generate new knowledge and help bring certain issues to greater public and political attention.
Four Practical Insights
Shared goals require concrete steps
MSPs often have ambitious goals and seek to contribute to far-reaching change. While this can motivate many stakeholders, it can also make it difficult to assign clear responsibilities and achieve progress. What does this mean for MSPs? It helps to translate shared goals into concrete, measurable steps. A clear understanding of the changes a partnership aims to achieve and how its activities contribute to them makes it easier to track progress, demonstrate results and make adjustments when needed. The focus should not be limited to counting meetings or publications, for example, but should also include examining what has actually changed as a result of the collaboration and how those changes came about. It is important to assess impact at the partnership level. Find out more about the impact of MSPs on our website.
Different perspectives are both a strength and a challenge
One of the key strengths of MSPs is that different stakeholder groups can contribute their knowledge and experience. This helps reveal connections, generate synergies and develop new ideas. At the same time, balancing different interests is not easy. Effective collaboration does not mean that everyone always has to agree. What matters is addressing different interests openly and working together to tackle difficult issues.
Trust and legitimacy need to be strengthened continuously
For an MSP to be credible, simply bringing different stakeholder groups to the table is not enough. It also matters who is involved, how decisions are made and to whom the partnership is accountable. Transparency, fair opportunities to participate and measurable results are important for an MSP to be perceived as legitimate. One particular challenge is addressing power imbalances between members. Otherwise, existing inequalities may be reinforced. To prevent this, MSPs should regularly review whether all relevant groups are genuinely included and whether members have an equal opportunity to influence decisions. It is equally important to make the results of joint work visible and communicate them to participants and the wider public. Find out more about collaboration on an equal footing in our publication.
MSPs need support and effective collaboration beyond their own partnerships
MSPs do not operate in isolation. They depend on political conditions, financial and human resources and collaboration with other partnerships and institutions. A lack of funding, shifting political priorities and declining commitment among participating members can significantly hinder their work. At the same time, partnerships can make important contributions precisely when international political processes stall. Many MSPs are also part of a broader landscape of initiatives pursuing similar goals. Without coordination, this can lead to duplicated efforts, competition for resources and isolated activities. It is therefore worth looking beyond the work of an individual MSP and considering the wider context. Which other initiatives are active? Where are there shared interests that can be built on? And which political or institutional actors could help integrate the partnership’s results into broader processes? Strong networks and clearly defined roles can help amplify an MSP’s impact beyond the partnership itself.
What does this mean for the future of MSPs?
The study shows that the potential of MSPs depends on the conditions in which they operate and how they are designed. One thing is clear: MSPs cannot replace government institutions or international cooperation. However, they can complement them by bringing different stakeholders together, fostering knowledge exchange, developing shared solutions and exploring new forms of collaboration.
The MSP approach remains particularly relevant in the face of complex social and environmental challenges. Moving forward, it is therefore essential not only to set ambitious goals, but also to create the conditions for effective collaboration: clear objectives, equitable participation, transparent decision-making, verifiable results and reliable support.
Further information: The full article was published in the journal International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics and is available here.
