Communicating Research: How to Engage Policy-makers - By Nalaka Gunawardene

nalakagunawardene.com

Communicating Research onGlobal Change:

How to engage policymakers?

By Nalaka GunawardeneScience Writer, Columnist & Media Consultant

APN South Asia Proposal Development Workshop14-16 December 2016, Paro, Bhutan


Where I come from… Trained as science writer, worked in print,

broadcast & web media for 25+ yrs Been covering climate change stories

from 1988 at South Asian level Down to Earth, SciDev.Net, BBC +++ Focusing on how to prepare for impacts:

adaptation, resilience, innovation… Member of expert team for Sri Lanka

National Climate Adaptation Strategy 2011-2016 (esp. its comm. strategy)


APN Strategy2015-2020

https://www.apn-gcr.org/resources/files/original/ 4054071ede94d6a7dff033367a61dbed.pdf

“APN is committed to strengthening evidence-based science-policy linkages, informing decision-making and enhancing public awareness.”


APN Science-Policy Dialogue South Asia: Thimphu, Jan 2015


“My policy-maker doesn’t understand me!”

Do you sometimes feel like this?


Communicating to policy makers:Some top level questions…

Who really are our policy makers? How do they operate? Under what

motivations, pressures or fears? Does the average South Asian

policy maker THINK? Or CARE? How best to engage them? How to get heard – and heeded – by

them amidst so much info & views in the media and social media?


Who really are policy makers? Understand your key audience They can be diverse:

Elected level: Ministers, Members of Parliament/MLAs Bureaucrat level: Permanent Secretaries of Ministries Technocrat level: Senior advisors, regulatory chiefs

Central + state/provincial (esp. in federal systems) Common characteristics:

Busy people, with limited attention spans Under pressure to solve problems, show results Not always open-minded or process-driven Typically short/medium term horizons (3-5 yrs)


Modern day dilemma:Policy-making on the run? Multiple pressures coming from: social/green

activists, political opponents, media, etc. 24/7 News Cycle (TV News + social media): No

time or chance for measured responses? Policy makers need to be SEEN AS DOING

SOMETHING, never mind efficacy Not always possible to be evidence based Populism & short-termism dominate Can lead to aggravation, stagnation, backsliding


Policy making in uncertain and unpredictable conditions…

South Asia: development under duress

Far from ideal conditions! Policy cycle not running

according to text book BOTH policy makers and

policy influencers have to cope with uncertainties, political upheavals, social unrest, etc.


What keeps your policy makers awake at night?

Extracted from presentation by Dr Amir Muhammed, Founder Chairman, Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC)


Typical South Asian policy makers:Has much changed in last 40 yrs?

Cartoon by R K Laxman, Times of India


Who do policy makers listen to? Voters or key demographic groups among them Own political party members Election campaign funders/supporters Trade union leaders Vocal civil society groups (‘nuisance factor’) Corporate/industry lobby groups Public opinion shapers (e.g. religious leaders) Media? (sometimes) Researchers? (not often enough!)


How do policy makers get info, ideas and policy guidance? Own knowledge/reading/reflection Technical advisors Media (TV, print, web, radio) Own peers they meet at inter-govt

meetings or bilateral talks Regional groups (SAARC, ASEAN, etc.) Development partners (World Bank, UN,

bilateral donor agencies) Learned/professional bodies (e.g. science

academies, think tanks)


So what is to be done?


How to engage policy makers? A few useful tips… Keep things clear, short & simple! Avoid jargon & overuse of statistics Analyse problems but also offer solutions Relate to current/dev. concerns wherever possible:

Creating disaster resilient communities Ensuring food security for all Clean energy for everyone

Relate to global/regional agreements: SAARC level Declarations, political commitments Global commitments like SDGs, Paris Agreement


Today’s communications reality:A multi-narrative world…

Newspapers, radio, TV: still important – but their influence slowly declining

Many more channels & voices today: Citizens armed with smartphones accessing

online info sources, reacting & sharing Advocacy orgs doing direct engagement of

public (without going thru mass media) Social Media: Blogs, FB, Instagram, Twitter:

Loud, chaotic & contested public sphere! Use multiple pathways


Making Your Voice Heard: Engaging Policy Makers (+Public)

Direct outreach (Do-It-Yourself) Producing newsletters Writing to newspapers, speaking on radio/TV Publishing own websites (free public access) Social media: Own/group blogs, Facebook, Twitter, etc.

Collaborative outreach: Work with journalists, filmmakers, TV producers Sharing with mass media copyrights-free outreach

material (with adapting/remixing allowed) Allowing privileged access to trusted science journalists


Case study: SDN: Online platform for researchers & policymakers Free access website

journalistically covering science & technology for global development

News, views & analysis Focus on developing

countries & regions Backed by Nature,

Science & TWAS + aid agencies & foundations

www.scidev.net


Since 2001, SciDev.Net… Provided a trusted online space

for researchers, policy makers and public to discuss issues

Unafraid to take up contentious topics (GMOs, nuclear energy)

Going out in Arabic, English, French and Spanish

South Asia edition (closing by end 2016 due to lack of funds) www.scidev.net/south-asia/


Examples from my SciDev.Net monthly columns since 2014

Columns archived at: http://www.scidev.net/south-asia/author.nalaka-gunawardene.html

Discussing global change issues as they affect South Asian countries: science and policy nexus explored in non-technical language…


Linking short-term climate pollutants to cooking stoves, etc.



Linking clean energy, poverty and climate mitigation options


Can South Asian cities be smarter?Prospects for urban climate action



Challenges of low lying nations



Is nuclear energy a pathway to sustainable energy in South Asia?



Wanted: More demand side studies

Insights needed on policy makers’ info access behaviour and needs

Helps identify different pathways to influencing policy making process

Value of appreciating policy makers’ own limitations & dilemmas faced

Soft approaches vs. Hard approaches: researchers & activists need to know which works, when & how


What DO policy makers want?Findings of SciDev.Net survey 2012

Survey done to understand how to mainstream science evidence & tech innovation for development

Global survey by SciDev.Net, LSE & partners: 3,000 responses + 600 interviews + focus groups in SEAsia

Probing how ‘knowledge brokers’ operate in developing countries

Insights from policy makers & policy influencers on how they seek, find & use evidence for policy

Full Report: https://goo.gl/r4gbtN


Among key findings… 70% policymakers use

scientific evidence for ‘personal knowledge building’, & for ‘keeping up to date with certain topics’, than for any specific activities

Key role of science advisors & technical staff of policy bodies (influencing policymakers)



Among key findings…Challenges of policy-makers: Lack of human or financial

resources to take action Lack of economic implications

of research findings Lack of sources that offer S&T

info in a readily usable manner for public engagement

Perception that ‘public lacks interest in S&T’



Finally…don’t forget The Bigger Picture!

Research is only one voice among several in the knowledge ‘ecology’ relating to policy & practice

Policy makers in democracies have to balance interests

Search for answers & solutions has become more participatory & nuanced…

Key findings from:

AusAID, DFID & UK-CDS global workshop in London, Nov 2010 on

Improving the impact of development research through better research communications and uptake

Full Report: https://goo.gl/FNY7GU


The Bigger Picture… Researchers need to engage

policymakers on regular basis Need to improve the SUPPLY

of robust research…to guide both govt policy & practice

High value for NEUTRALITY of evidence from researchers (contrast with lobby groups & single-issue activists)

Key findings from:

AusAID, DFID & UK-CDS global workshop in London, Nov 2010 on

Improving the impact of development research through better research communications and uptake

Full Report: https://goo.gl/FNY7GU


More policy relevant research:Pure knowledge or applied?

Tackle policy engagement potential from research planning itself?

How to find policy knowledge gaps? National Climate Strategies, Action Plans Govt strategies for agriculture, disaster

risk reduction, public health, etc. State of the economy policy speeches

Try relating to larger national goals? Poverty reduction Disaster resilient communities

Blog:nalakagunawardene.comSciDev.Net column:www.scidev.net/south-asia/author.nalaka-

gunawardene.html

Twitter: @NalakaGEmail: [email protected]

Opinions all personalImages have been used in good faith

Thanks. Never Give Up!

Communicating Research: How to Engage Policy-makers - By Nalaka Gunawardene

Science

Transcript of Communicating Research: How to Engage Policy-makers - By Nalaka Gunawardene