Science-Policy Interface Bernhard Schlamadinger [bernhard.schlamadinger@joanneum.at] Policy Science IPCC COP (decision-making) SBI SBSTA (science-policy interface)
How science feeds into the policymaking process Science directly to the COP (via IPCC, „Assessment reports“) Indirectly by lobbying SBSTA and COP negotiators; side events; sci. literature, etc. Technical issues from IPCC via SBSTA Very specific inquiries from SBSTA SBSTA approves work plan and results
Technical issues for the scientific community CP1 issues vs. CP2 (or longer-term) issues Methodologies Measuring, monitoring and reporting (integrate statistical and env. data) remote sensing modelling forest and soil inventories flux towers inverse modelling especially combining different tools
Technical issues for the scientific community II CP 1 issues cont‘d Focus on uncertainties. Especially soils Demonstrate a pool is not a source Georeferenced data Research towards „National System for estimation of anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks of all GHGs“ „Reversibility“ of credited C stocks (CDM)
CP2 technical issues Systems design Accuracy Simplicity Scale Independence Precedence Incentives Full C accounting: technical and policy implications inter-annual variability verification (e.g., independent methods such as inverse modelling)
CP 2 technical issues „Factoring out“ effects of pre-1990 activities direct human-induced activities (as opposed to CO2, climate and similar impacts) Deforestation avoidance (esp. baselines)
Science issues related to sinks in the future Robustness of sinks is uncertain permanence in the long term (land use) Feedbacks from climate change on biosphere, e.g. emissions from soils Long-term role of CO2 fertilization? Other feedbacks albedo changes local climate etc. Tropics can strongly affect the C balance
Science issues related to sinks in the future II Biomass burning significant in many regions UNFCCC only addresses „human induced“ portion Converge top-down and bottom-up estimates Saturation: Technical vs. more constrained potentials; short vs. long-term Research towards a broad systems view, e.g. leakage, products and energy sectors
Science issues related to sinks in the future III Land-use policies Economics of land-management Synergies with other land-use objectives Salinity biodiversity desertification bioenergy local livelihoods, ... Link mitigation with adaptation strategies