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KLIMAFORSK-Stort program klima

Dissemination of Scientific Knowledge as a Policy Instrument in Climate Policy

Awarded: NOK 6.3 mill.

Project Manager:

Project Number:

207622

Application Type:

Project Period:

2011 - 2018

Funding received from:

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Partner countries:

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Climate policy is a field where the science-policy relationship is in a critical state. The failure at the climate summit in Copenhagen 2009, and the lack of development in international climate negotiations under UNFCCC since then, demonstrate that trans forming the IPCC recommendations into practical policies presents a great challenge. This project will make a contribution to a better understanding of how research syntheses are made and how policy makers take these into account. The aim is to achieve be tter use of climate research in Norwegian climate policy. Our main research question is: How should scientific knowledge be designed and disseminated in order to be as useful as possible to decision-makers (politicians and bureaucrats)? The project aims t o combine insights from three different theoretical perspectives, Policy Instrument Studies, Evidence-Based Policy and Science and Technology Studies, all of them quite successful but never previously brought together. We follow the process from the makin g of research syntheses to their use in policy-making, which is summarized in the concept dissemination of scientific knowledge. We understand this dissemination process, at the centre of which is research syntheses, as a policy instrument. Our understand ing of syntheses is broad. Syntheses can be disseminated in a wide range of formats such as oral presentations, discussions and media coverage as well as formal syntheses such as the assessment reports from the IPCC. The developed framework will inform fo ur empirical studies on how scientific knowledge for policy is synthesized and used, and how it may be improved. In order to obtain a picture that is as complete as possible, the case studies, all of great importance to Norwegian climate policy, focus on three different levels: IPCC (international), UN-REDD (international), Klimakur (national) and Klima-SIP (local). The project will involve users (politicians and bureaucrats) on the national and municipal level.

Funding scheme:

KLIMAFORSK-Stort program klima