In order to establish a flexible, but also reliable mechanism, a governance structure needs to be established to take care of the regular processes (e.g., information on knowledge holders and providers, oversee ongoing synthesis processes), ensure that the right experts and methods are chosen, and address strategic issues in further developing the mechanism. 

The following bodies were established to manage the mechanism:

• Knowledge Coordination Body (KCB): The KCB is the core body of the mechanism. It comprises 10 experts with diverse backgrounds and expertise on different methodologies of knowledge synthesis. Its main responsibility is ensuring that requests from policy and other societal actors are answered through the coordination of joint evidence processes. The KCB deals with identifying topics to be addressed, it issues calls for contributions and calls for expertise, sets up working groups and maintains links to the requesters.  
  
  A call for nomination of experts in August/September 2016 selected five new external members; Valerie Kapos (UNEP-WCMC), Petr Petřík (Institute of Botany of the CAS), Rania Spyropoulou (ATEPE- Ecosystem management Ltd), Esther Turnhout (Wageningen University) and Sebastian Villasante (University Santiago de Compostela). This new group completes the EKLIPSE KCB members: Heidi Wittmer (UFZ), Barbara Livoreil (FRB), Lynn Dicks (UEA), Jorge Ventocilla (RBINS), Isabel Sousa Pinto (CIIMAR) and Eeva Furman (SYKE). Heidi Wittmer is the chair of the KCB. Read our guidance notes if you want to know more about the KCB and how its members have been selected.

• Strategic Advisory Board (SAB): The SAB brings in additional expertise, provides strategic advice and ensures the link to policy, particularly at the European level. Members also act as ambassadors of the mechanism. It includes high-level experts from science, policy and society and thus serves as a link to important strategic sectors. The current list of SAB members is as follows: Chair: Sybille van den Hove (MEDIAN), Stefan Leiner (DG ENV), Didier Bourguignon (EPRS), Ronan Uhel (EEA), Karl Falkenberg (EPSC), Helene Lindman (City of Stockholm/EUROCITIES), Yann Laurans (IDDRI), Senka Barudanovic (University of Sarajevo), Suzanne de Cheveigné (CNRS), Sue Collins (European Habitats Forum), Maria da Graca Carvalho (DG RTD SAM) and Marie-Alice Budniok (ELO). Read our guidance note to find more information on the SAB.

• Mechanism secretariat: the Secretariat is in charge of handling the day-to-day work and supports ongoing processes of Expert Working Groups and the KCB in scoping requests, dealing with daily information and communications. To begin with, the Secretariat will be shared by the EKLIPSE project partners NERC-CEH, UFZ and RBINS, supported by other partners for specific functions. Read our guidance note to find more information on the Secretariat.

• In order to support the establishment of a flexible and reliable mechanism, a formative evaluation body is being set up by ISOE. This evaluation body closely accompanies the project, particularly in the initial years. Creating an atmosphere of mutual learning among the partners, the evaluation body ensures that the procedures and principles are followed and proposes improvements to the governance structures and processes of the mechanism. Criteria, such as credibility, relevance and legitimacy (CRELE), will be elaborated to be used when the mechanism becomes self-sustaining.

This structure will be further developed as the mechanism develops.