Marine science knowledge exchange: challenges & tools for dissemination

1. Marine science knowledge exchange: challenges & tools for dissemination Annual Meeting 2014, Berlin Jennifer Riley1 (Jennifer.Riley@noc.ac.uk) Contributions from: Jacky Wood1, Steve Hall1Tom Redd1, & Bev Mackenzie2 2 1

2. Environmental importance of the ocean visibleearth.nasa.gov Global temperature regulation and heat storage www.seos-project.eu Primary productivity and carbon storage www.earthinstitute.columbia.edu/articles/view/3180 Influence on global weather patterns Herndl and Reinthaler (2013) doi: 10.1038/ngeo1921 scitechdaily.com/hurricane-sandy-viewed-from-space/

3. Economics and the ocean Traditional industries New Blue Growth industries http://ec.europa.eu/maritimeaffairs/policy/blue_growth/

4. The ‘Oceanscape’: interactions with marine policy • Marine policy is about protecting the environment for the benefit of future generations. • Marine policies focus on ensuring the ocean remains ecologically diverse and economically functional. • Marine scientific research improves our understanding of the ocean is at the heart of marine policy. • MSR needs coordination and mechanisms to ensure it feeds into marine policy decisions.

5. European Marine science coordination High-level strategic platform providing a long-term integrated approach to marine & maritime research & technology development in Europe. Working to align the marine and maritime research landscape providing a long-term integrated approach to marine &maritime research and technology development. www.jpi-oceans.eu/policies-and-strategies The European Marine Board develops common positions on research priorities and strategies for European marine science, facilitating enhanced cooperation between stakeholders involved in supporting, delivering and using marine research and technology. EMB is an independent non-governmental advisory body transferring knowledge from the scientific community to decision makers http://www.marineboard.eu/

6. National European Marine science coordination Belgium - The Federal Council for Science Policy Includes marine work – coordinating, funding, managing and ensuring policy relevance. Norway – the Ministry of Climate and Environment has an important role in influencing other Ministries and sectors at the national level. Marine coordination is through the Department for Marine Management and Pollution Control Germany – The German Research Foundation (DFG) gives policy advice to parliaments, governments and public institutions on scientific issues. Collectively represent the interests of marine research towards decision-makers in Germany and the EU and the public UK – MSCC is a partnership of government departments, devolved administrations of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, environment agencies and research bodies involved in funding and marine science reporting.

7. The Challenges Communication – scientists and policymakers speak different languages Knowing the landscape – policy landscape is complex and specialist knowledge is needed to navigate it Priorities and timescales – Don not always align. Government work on election timescales, scientists work on project and peer review timescales. Financial – Governments don’t always want to spend it in the way scientists might. Trust – getting trust between scientists and other stakeholders

8. Communicating science Negative North Atlantic Oscillation Negative North Atlantic Oscillation Keep messages clear and straightforward - who is in the audience? Why we should care? – wider picture and impacts for society Define Acronyms ‘A picture is worth a thousand words’ Use simple figures to communicate complex ideas and theories to non experts Make sure key ‘take home messages’ are clear Image accessed from www.whoi.edu/page.do?pid=8915&tid=3622&cid=24777

9. Communicating uncertainty Uncertainty leads scientists to action and policymakers to indecision. Policymakers like to have definite answers — an impossibility in science. IPCC AR5 reporting of uncertainty. Likelihood scale helps non expert audiences understand the probabilities and uncertainties. IPCC AR5 Figure 11.25 IPCC AR5 guidance notes

10. The Challenges Communication – scientists and policymakers speak different languages Knowing the landscape – policy landscape is complex and specialist knowledge is needed to navigate it Priorities and timescales – Do not always align. Government work on election timescales, scientists work on project and peer review timescales. Financial – Governments don’t always want to spend it in the way scientists might. Trust – getting trust between scientists and other stakeholders

11. Knowing the landscape … European to national implementation in England Boyes and Elliott (2014) http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.06.055

12. The Challenges Communication – scientists and policymakers speak different languages Knowing the landscape – policy landscape is complex and specialist knowledge is needed to navigate it Priorities and timescales – Do not always align. Government work on election timescales, scientists work on project and peer review timescales. Financial – Governments don’t always want to spend it in the way scientists might. Trust – getting trust between scientists and other stakeholders

13. The Challenges Communication – scientists and policymakers speak different languages Knowing the landscape – policy landscape is complex and specialist knowledge is needed to navigate it Priorities and timescales – Do not always align. Government work on election timescales, scientists work on project and peer review timescales. Financial – Governments don’t always want to spend it in the way scientists might. Trust – getting trust between scientists and other stakeholders

14. The Challenges Communication – scientists and policymakers speak different languages Knowing the landscape – policy landscape is complex and specialist knowledge is needed to navigate it Priorities and timescales– Do not always align. Government work on election timescales, scientists work on project and peer review timescales. Financial – Governments don’t always want to spend it in the way scientists might. Trust – getting trust between scientists and other stakeholders

15. Tool: Engaging stakeholders Manage closely Keep informed NACLIM workshops with 3 city partners and scientists to ensure delivery of urban heat island mapping product and potential societal impacts. ECOMS projects Project partners Other related science projects European Commission / policy makers Level of interest Monitor Keep satisfied Ensure that knowledge is used correctly on the ground. Use of knowledge brokers – e.g. scientists seconded to DEFRA as specialists with expertise to deliver independent and credible advice. • Identify who they are and importance for level of management needed • To do this need to ensure that have people who know the policy & science landscape Level of influence

16. Tool: Preparing position papers & factsheets • Aids with communication of science to policy. • Scientist (and policy makers) working together to align priorities. • Highlight ongoing science issues, priorities & areas for funding / policy focus • International • e.g. European Marine Board Position Paper “Navigating the Future Series” • National • e.g. UK Charting Progress 2 • Project factsheets and report cards • e.g. UK Marine Climate Change Impacts Partnership annual report cards • e.g. Strategic Assessment of Development of the Arctic factsheets

17. Tool: Providing platforms for discussion • National: UK MSCC Underwater Sound Forum • MSFD descriptor 11 - energy and noise • Introduction of energy, including underwater noise, at levels that do not adversely affect the marine environment. • Not previously monitored sufficiently. • Involves many different parties, scientists, industry, military … International: EurOceanmeeting series Major European marine science policy conferences. Forum for the marine & maritime research community and wider stakeholders to interface with European and Member State policymakers To discuss and respond to new marine science and technology developments, challenges and opportunities. EurOcean Rome Declaration 2014 eurocean2014.eu/declaration/

18. Tool: Consultations • International (European) and national level consultations. • Vital for science communication • Need your input as scientists/specialists in your fields http://ec.europa.eu/yourvoice/consultations/index_en.htm www.noc.ac.uk/about-us/international-strategic-partnerships-office/consultations

19. Tool: Building Knowledge Exchange into Research Programmes • NACLIM project work package 4.2: Impact on Urban Societies • “Investigate the impact of seasonal to decadal-scale climate (variability) on urban areas and their populations.” • Series of workshops - scientists & representatives from cities (Berlin, Antwerp & Almada) • Outputs of UHI maps - city representatives can use for local policy, governance & planning.

20. Summary There are many challenges in communicating science into policy. Scientists are busy people, and don’t always have time to undertake such dissemination themselves… But it is vital science is communicated on the national and international stages. So … work with the teams of specialists who are trained and have the capacity to communicate science into policy, … and from the outset (planning stage) of a project think about the science policy relevance, knowledge exchange mechanisms and dissemination tools.

21. NACLIM Knowledge Exchange … www.imarest.org OPERATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHY (OOSIG) Operational oceanography (OO) aims to provide sustained marine measurements, analyses, predictions and assessments for use in improving public safety and national security, creating wealth and protecting the marine environment. The overall aim of the OOSIG is to improve awareness of the concept of operational oceanography and to engage the wider marine sector in ocean observation and the associated development of operational products and services.

22. NACLIM Knowledge Exchange … www.oceanbusiness.com Survey Operations and Applications Charting (SOLAS / EEZ etc) Offshore engineering site surveys Pipeline surveys Renewable energy Geophysical survey Geotechnical investigation Inter-tidal operations Oceanography Coastal surveys incl. biodiversity and ecological studies Offshore / coastal engineering and construction Structural monitoring Coastal flooding Advances in Survey Techniques including: Surveillance and monitoring Innovative surface vessel solutions AUV / UUV advances ROVs Geophysical (sub-bottom) techniques and systems Seismic acquisition Oceanographic solutions

23. The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Union 7th Framework Programme (FP7 2007-2013), under grant agreement n.308299 NACLIM www.naclim.eu