Research and the collection of data relating to Indigenous peoples, lands, and resources have long served to uphold colonial relations. Much of the data collected about Indigenous peoples has been assembled by government entities without Indigenous input or participation, and as such does not reflect the diverse values, knowledge systems, or governance structures of Indigenous […]
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News Media and Policy: Media Literacy and Scientific Literacy Go Hand in Hand
Information media can act as both an amplifier and a dampener to scientific discourse. Social media platforms such as Twitter(X), Instagram, TikTok, and others have all affected the discourse surrounding scientific discoveries. Studies have shown that scientific literacy can help the public be more supportive of important research and can lead to support for evidence-based […]
Investigating a Proposed Marine Protected Area Along Nova Scotia’s Coast through a Co-Production Lens
In 2018, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) designated the Eastern Shore Islands of Nova Scotia as an Area of Interest (AOI) for Atlantic Canada’s largest coastal marine protected area (MPA) (Moreland et al., 2021). The Eastern Shore Islands (ESI) support vital ecosystems including eelgrass, kelp beds, and several at-risk species. While this […]
Advocacy and Political Action at the Information-Policy Interface
In a time when humanity faces existential threats from climate change and ecosystem collapse, the need for transformative change has never been more urgent. Now, more than ever, academics need to move beyond their traditional role as knowledge generators to become knowledge brokers and public activists to facilitate stronger evidence-informed decision making (Gardner et al., […]
Enabling the Uptake of Research in Decision Making
Effective policy and decision-making rely on the integration of scientific evidence into governance frameworks. In this post, we explore the role that research-based information can play in shaping environmental policy. Translating research into actionable knowledge for policymakers faces many challenges due to persistent knowledge-action gaps. Gaps occur when knowledge that is produced is difficult to […]
The Role of International Statutes in Policy-Making
Global environmental governance has long played a significant role in how environmental policy becomes enacted around the world. In this blog post, we discuss the role of international environmental bodies, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), and the United Nations Convention to Combat […]
Measuring Use and Influence of Research-Based Information
New and diverse research results are produced daily. However, once research-based information is made available to users, how do we know whether the information is relevant and helpful? Has the information been used in its intended form, or has it been misinterpreted? As these questions relate to connections and disconnections in the science-policy interface, we […]
The Role of Traditional News Media and Social Media in Promoting Awareness of Research-Based Information
The news media is a powerful agent that translates information across the science-policy interface to inform the general public of decisions made by policy-makers. However, news coverage is all too often shaped by political or cultural biases and the realities of the news business. These realities include journalistic norms and preferences that lead to news […]
Barriers and Enablers in Information Transfer at the Science-Policy Interface
The transfer of research information from providers to users is essential for management operations and decision-making. More specifically, users of information such as policy-makers and managers often use evidence from different sources to inform their decisions about local and global problems. It is important to highlight that different types of knowledge exist as well. For […]
Challenges and Benefits of Public Consultations as Advisory Processes
Stakeholder engagement in evidence-based policy and decision making is an important multifaceted advisory process, which is characterized by several challenges relating to information management. In complex areas such as public health or the environment, effective decision-making involves commitment from policymakers to understand the subject in question holistically as well as be aware that policies affect […]