AIACC Summary and Synthesis: A Discussion

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AIACC Summary and SynthesisA Discussion

• First AIACC Latin America and Caribbean Regional
  Workshop
• 27-30 May 2003
• San Jose, Costa Rica
• Sara Beresford, AIACC
• Session 8 (Thursday)

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Why is Synthesis/Summary Important?

• What have we learned from this process? How can
  we use those lessons to contribute to future
  scientific, decision-making, and policy
  activities?
• To compare/contrast information about
  methodological approaches and advance the state
  of the science (contribute to IPCC AR4)
• Provide means for assessing effectiveness of the
  approach of a project like AIACC, and offer
  information that will improve future similar
  activities (and direct a possible second phase)

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Questions for Discussion

• What questions can be used as a framework for
  cross-project analysis and synthesis?
• What summary or synthesis outputs should AIACC
  produce, and how should they be structured?
• How do we organize ourselves and what steps need
  to be taken to produce summary and synthesis
  outputs?
• Ideas put forth at previous AIACC regional
  workshops in Africa/Indian Ocean Islands and
  Asia/Pacific

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Q1 What questions can be used as a framework for
cross-project analysis and synthesis?

• What role did climate scenarios play in the study
  and can we compare the climate and socioeconomic
  scenarios methods
• How were questions of spatial scale (local,
  national, regional) and temporal scale (current
  vs. future vulnerability) addressed?
• How were the vulnerable groups identified, how
  were indicators of vulnerability and adaptive
  capacity developed/used, and were they effective?
• What factors were most important in determining
  the sensitivity of different systems/sectors to
  climate?
• How were stakeholders (local/community,
  policy-makers, national communications teams)
  engaged in the project? (and how was the
  effectiveness of stakeholder engagement
  measured?)

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Q1 What questions can be used as a framework for
cross-project analysis and synthesis? (continued)

• How were local perceptions, historical
  information, and current indigenous adaptive
  strategies incorporated into the study?
• How were possible adaptation strategies
  identified and evaluated, and what factors
  contribute to effectiveness of adaptation
  strategies?
• What methods of the study are transferable from
  one region or sector to another?
• Comparison of vulnerability-oriented approaches
  with impacts-oriented approaches
• How do you measure the success of the AIACC
  regional studies?

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Q2 What summary synthesis outputs should AIACC
produce, and how should they be structured?

• AIACC Working Papers (precursors to published
  papers)
• Refereed publications (possible special issue of
  journal)
• Synthesis reports how to structure them? (by
  theme, region, sector?)
• Project-level AIACC Synthesis Report Was AIACC
  effective at achieving its goals of advancing
  science, enhancing capacity building,
  contributing to national communications, and
  engaging stakeholders? What were the successes
  and shortcomings? How do you measure success?
  How can a future similar activity be improved?
• Brief papers/reports (written in language and
  jargon appropriate for audience) for
  policy-makers at appropriate levels (local,
  national, regional, international)
• Culturally-appropriate educational materials for
  outreach and training

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Q3 How do we organize ourselves and what steps
need to be taken to produce summary and synthesis
outputs?

• Rank the importance of possible outputs in terms
  of importance and feasibility
• Classify projects according to sectors/systems,
  groups, regions, methods (DMS Activity at
  CSSR/CIESIN)
• Identify authors/contributors and synthesis teams
• Identify plan, develop timeline (with
  intermediate deadlines), and identify target
  audiences and distribution plan
• Share draft synthesis products (for example, via
  a closed website)

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These are the ideas that previous regional
workshops have put forward what are your
ideas? Do you agree/disagree or have additional
suggestions?

• Questions for Discussion
• What questions can be used as a framework for
  cross-project analysis and synthesis?
• What summary or synthesis outputs should AIACC
  produce, and how should they be structured?
• How do we organize ourselves and what steps need
  to be taken to produce summary and synthesis
  outputs?