December 2012: The World Bank has launched an initiative called “Striking Poverty,” an online space designed to empower a global community of innovators to end poverty through open discussion and debate. Currently, the platform features a discussion on carbon and climate change, with a focus on innovations in low-emissions development for poverty alleviation and sustainable development.

Striking Poverty consists of two-week, moderated discussion “salons,” where thought leaders, decision-makers, experts, practitioners, policy-makers, and other community members provoke discussion through questions, interact with practitioners and experts from other fields, and share innovations in development policy and practice. Leaders for the current discussion include representatives from the World Bank, World Wildlife Fund, Uganda Carbon Bureau, and TaTEDO.

The initiative welcomes suggestions for new participants, and encourages diverse viewpoints and perspectives to inform dialogue, focus debate, shape strategy, and enhance action.

Past discussions have included large contracts and community oversight, and mapping and disaster management. The effort also offers resources from the development field, as well as World Bank publications, data, research, and analysis. Striking Poverty will archive discussions for future reference. [Striking Poverty Website]