Implementing Global Climate Change Research: - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Title: Implementing Global Climate Change Research:


1
Implementing Global Climate Change Research
Assessing the Challenge of Defining and
Evaluating Decision Support Rebecca J. Romsdahl,
PhD Earth System Science Policy Program, UND
rebecca.romsdahl_at_und.edu
Results Discussion
Introduction
Conclusions
When asked how they define DS, based on their
experiences, 16 respondents (45) reference
tools, only 4 (11) include decision-makers,
none reference collaboration or uncertainties,
see Figure 1. Also, 24 (68) agree with the
statement Decision support is a new label for a
long established line of work.
Decision support (DS) is the buzzword concept for
implementing global climate change research the
aim is to develop better science-based resources
to aid decision-making under the uncertain
conditions of climate variability and change.1
Survey responses show there is disagreement on
how to define DS, who it should involve, what is
needed by decision-makers, and how to evaluate
its effectiveness there are also suggestions
that some researchers do not support the concept.
This author argues that DS should be broadly
defined and evaluated as a collaborative process.
Pure science researchers will think it is not
their job to worry about what happens to the
research activity once they have finished a
project. If this is true, then we need an
intermediary technology/research transfer
process to move from pure research to decision
support.
- Survey
Respondent

Increasing emphasis on uncertainty levels,
socioeconomics, dialogue, implementation
Linear Knowledge Transfer Climate
Extension Collaborative Process
Increasing emphasis on
experimentation, data collection, technology
tools Figure 1a Decision Support Definition
Continuum
Rather than continue to define and evaluate DS
via the predominant linear model of knowledge
transfer, see Figure 1, where products or
information are handed down from the expert to
the decision-maker, a process-based model of DS,
see Figure 2, would recognize relevant
uncertainties involved with global climate change
data and encourage dialogue on how to incorporate
uncertainty into the decision process. This type
of model would also encourage evaluation and
feedback to help assess the effectiveness of DS
activities in addressing climate variability and
change.
When asked to list examples of effective DS
activities related to their program, nearly half
of respondents describe projects involving
collaboration between researchers and
decision-makers. Many of the described projects
are similar to the collaborative problem solving
design institutionalized in the US Environmental
Protection Agency2, see Table 2.
Research Process
In order to better understand how DS is being
defined and evaluated, global climate change
experts, within the US Climate Change Science
Program (CCSP), see Table 1, were invited to
participate in an Internet-based survey 35 valid
responses were analyzed.

• Collaborative Problem Solving Design
• Identify priorities
• Get the right groups to the table
• Provide education / training as needed
• Determine roles of each organization
• Frame a mutually agreeable goal
• Manage the process to be fair, objective, timely
• Decide how to document / evaluate outcomes
• Table 2

• Ad-hoc DS Evaluation
• Benchmarking
• Case-by-case analysis
• Reports/publications
• Stakeholder feedback
• Surveys
• Table 3

• The Sample Population
• Survey participants are senior-level Federal
  agency representatives to CCSP working groups. As
  representatives, they bring an overview of their
  agencys research and development portfolio and
  some level of budgetary authority.
• NOAA (n8)
• NASA (n7)
• Dept. Agriculture (n6)
• USGS (n6)
• EPA (n4)
• Dept. Energy (n3)
• Dept. Interior (n3)
• Dept. Health Human Services (n2)
• NSF (n2)
• Smithsonian Institute (n2)
• Dept. Transportation (n2)
• Table 1

When asked if their program always evaluates the
effectiveness of DS products, 22 respondents
(62) indicate no. References to ad-hoc
evaluation, however, include formal and informal
strategies, see Table 3.

• Survey Results in Summary
• Collectively, responses highlight continued
  uncertainty with DS concept
• Responses indicate that although DS constitutes
  a variety of products and activities, that range
  from interactive climate-modeling software to
  extension-like advice and training, a common
  definition is needed.
• Responses also indicate that evaluation of DS
  products and activities is essential, but there
  is disagreement on what should be evaluated,
  just the products and / or DS implementation
  when and how to evaluate effectiveness and who
  should conduct evaluation, researchers,
  decision-makers, or somebody else?

References

• p. 111, Climate Change Science Program. 2003.
  Strategic Plan
• p. 144, Belefski, M. 2006. Collaboration at the
  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• An Interview with Two Senior Managers.
  Public Administration Review, December
• Figure 1 adapted from Pyke, C. et.al. (in press)
  Effective Decision Support for Climate
• Change Impact Assessment and Adaptation.
• Figure 2 adapted from Horsefall, F. and H. Hill,
  2004. NOAA Climate Transition Program.
  Conceptual Paper. Available at
  http//www.climate.noaa.gov/cpo_pa/nctp/nctp.pdf