Understanding the Science-policy Interface for Enhanced Arctic Climate Impacts and Adaptation Decision-making

Ecological change, economic strain, cultural transformation and socio-political factors are currently key sources of stress on Arctic Indigenous peoples. It is argued that the best available information, including both science and Traditional Knowledge (TK), must be used in generating policies and making decisions about such critical issues as climate change impacts and adaptation in the circumpolar north to ensure that these decisions are best suited for these regions and residents. This project, funded under an integrated network research program in Canada, ArcticNet, aims to investigate the Arctic policy and decision making landscape to determine how Arctic science currently contributes, or may best contribute in the future to informing policies and actions on climate change impacts and adaptation. The project is taking a case study approach using: 1. literature and document reviews to identify key policy and science information linkages and gaps; 2. key informant interviews to identify and understand the critical steps in the knowledge translation process; 3. qualitative and quantitative discourse analysis to understand the relationship between existing science and TK products and decisions / policies; and 4. expert panels and roundtables to explore and make recommendations on methods for enhanced science and TK uptake in policy processes of relevance to the ArcticNet research program and Arctic science to policy initiatives in general. This research will contribute to our present knowledge on how to improve the use, translation and transfer of scientific research results and TK into sound policy. The conclusions from this project will support decision makers in addressing the most effective ways to use and translate research results on urgent issues such as climate change into 'action' or decisions at the local, region, national and international levels.