Reflecting on the science –policy interface work of the ASB Partnership

There is broad agreement that science could enable better decision-making for sustainable development. Yet, very often important policy decisions are made without any consideration for scientific evidence. In many developing countries, this could be attributed to one of many reasons – first, that the scientific information for decision support is not available; second, that it is available but not accessible and or third, that it is available, accessible but not digestible by the policymaker -often because of the format in which it is presented. Enabling better decision-making through work that enhances science-policy linkages has thus emerged as an important domain of the ASB partnership and other institutions worldwide.  In this issue of the e-news, we highlight ASB’s efforts in bridging knowledge with action in developing countries, with the all important objective of drawing lessons from these experiences.  

In 2005, ASB received the CGIAR award of excellence in science. The following year an evaluation of the programme  recommended that  the partnership plays a greater role not just in conducting fundamental research but also engaging actively in activities that promote policy relevant research and its use. This would result in a strategic decision to bring 15 years of research on deforestation  and environmental sevices at the tropical forest margins into relevant processes within the climate change policy initiatives such as Reducing Emissions from Deforestation  and forest Degradation (REDD+). Operating as a global partnership hosted by the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), the ASB Partnership works through its multiple partners at international, national and local levels to foster and forge science-policy interactions.

 ASB Partnership Global Coordinator, Dr Peter Minang' speaks at a past international climate change forum.: The partnership works through its multiple partners at international, national and local levels to foster and forge science-policy interactions.A key lesson from working at the science-policy interface is that attempts to stop deforestation in ways that increase productivity and maintain the flow of environmental services are confronted with complex trade-offs, interlinked challenges, and research is an integral part that not only informs but is also informed by the negotiation process mainly involving researchers, decision makers and communities. It is a feat that cannot be achieved by a single group or organization, and as such the strength of the ASB Partnership lies in being able to harness and complement key strengths from all its members.  These and other lessons are now published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (see related article). 

An important feature of the ASB policy work are the widely disseminated policy briefs which are increasingly being recognized and used in other high-level policy forums such as the recent highlight of the ASB Policy brief :  Emissions Embodied in Trade (EET) and Land use in Tropical Forest Margins (PDF) in the European Commission’s Science for Environment Policy News Alert Service.

For these and more examples, enjoy reading this issue of our e-news!

- ASB Partnership Global Coordinator - Dr Peter Minang'