1. Science for policy, policy for science: a
society-centered approach?
Lidia Brito
Director
Science Policy and Capacity Building Division
UNESCO
l.brito@unesco.org
Credibility across cultures: expertise ,uncertainty, and the global politics of scientific advice
Brighton, STEPS Center Annual Symposium

2. Effective structures for Scientific
Advice (1)
 Across scales interventions: from global to local and vice-
versa;
 Connecting diverse groups of stakeholders;
 Embedded science evidences in decision making
processes by redesigning the processes
 Responding to development challenges: global
sustainability and short and medium-term priorities;
 Building capacities: multiplying the faces and amplifying
the voices of scientists in decision-making processes.
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3. Effective structures for Scientific
Advice (2)
 Language: communicating complexity in a simpler
manner, reducing uncertainty and promoting
evidence based decisions
 Communication channels: from traditional to new
ones;
 Issues covered: who’s question and time scale;
 Governance models used: addressing several
Agendas – how to keep the questions alive?
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4. Opportunities in the near future
 ECOSOC 2013: Science and Culture for
Sustainable Development;
 UN SG Scientific advisory Board
 Future Earth
 Science Diplomacy: a growing field
 But we need more…. The conversations can
not stop and the scientific community has a
responsibility to maintain the engagement
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6. World today
 Globalized – local decisions global impact;
 Facing climate change: unexpected and
probability of more extreme events;
 Crisis: uncertainties in finance, energy supply,
food supply…
 Where knowledge and technology is more and
more important: exclusion and divides
 Heavily influenced by the Digital revolution.
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7. Polarities in our world?
 Short term Government agendas the need of
long-term policies
 Economic interests social and environmental
sustainability
 Disciplines inter and transdisciplinary science
 Known connections hidden connections
 Certainty uncertainty
 Political objectives and language science
objectives and language
 Individual and coalition power citizenship
solutions 7

8. Science-policy interface: the meaning of
the S
Policy
Making
Processes Science
Questions
and Agenda
Opportunistic Approach
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9. Science-policy interface after Rio+20: the
meaning of the S
 Policies for Science.
Science for policy  Long-term vision but
 Timely advice short political cycles;
 Language adjustment  Accountability
 The role of the media
 Interdisciplinary and
transdiciplinary
 Co-design and co-  Citizenship
production development ;
 Human capital
development
 Relevance: solutions
to today’s problems
 Science-society
contract 9

10. From Traditional Leadership to Strategic Leadership
Direction Anticipation
Protection Engaging
Conflict Conflict
Resolution stimulation
Common good
(Questioning)
Knowledge based
Authenticity
Openness
Empathy

11. Thank you