The Matrix: Getting Inside the Science-Policy Interface

Effectively addressing climate change threats and opportunities in a timely and accountable manner requires that decision-makers responsible for Arctic issues have access to the best available scientific information and knowledge. However, effective translation and uptake of research results on urgent issues such as climate change appears to be constrained by several factors. Sometimes there is insufficient information available to adequately inform policy, but quite often information is available but not used. In order to better understand the factors and circumstances that may impact the science–policy interface in either a positive or negative manner, we undertook a matrix analysis of how this knowledge translation occurs within the Canadian context. We adopted a case-study approach to develop a better understanding of the policy and decision making landscape and associated pathways and mechanisms through which to translate or connect science and action. We propose that a number of common factors are at play in influencing Arctic science–policy interactions in the Arctic today. Further, our premise was that it is important for arctic research programs (such as IPY and other research efforts like ArcticNet) to have an a priori understanding of this process in order to facilitate the best use of the knowledge generated through scientific activities. Critical elements included in our matrix analysis of cases were the scale of the issue, the scope of the relevant scientific domain, the thematic focus of the research within the science–policy interface, the accessibility of data, the relevance of the research for various "populations" or users within society, among others. Our results suggest that a simple matrix analysis can be used to identify common factors influencing the interface environment and translation process and this analysis can help to develop innovative methods for translating research results to inform policy and other decisions relevant to climate change and adaptation.