Global Environmental Assessments and the Bridge to Environmental Policy

Global environmental assessments provide an important mechanism for summarizing the state of scientific knowledge and communicating that to multiple audiences, especially decision-makers and the scientific community. These assessments help drive discussion between scientists and policymakers. The ozone assessments of the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment Program and the climate assessments of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, have been updated in numerous cycles over the years. Their usefulness has led to interest in applying this approach to other areas of environmental science that are also relevant to global policy. In this session, scientists with significant experience in ongoing assessment processes will share what they have learned from working on them, being involved in discussions with policymakers, and reporting of conclusions. Presentations and discussion will highlight how such assessments may evolve in the future and become even more effective in bridging scientific and policymaking communities.