Once an aquatic species is added to Canada’s list of endangered flora and fauna under the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA), does the best available information make its way into decision-making to promote the recovery of the species? Resource management, including the management of endangered species, can be challenging due to the involvement of […]
Book Review: Securitizing Marine Protected Areas: Geopolitics, Environmental Justice, and Science by Elizabeth De Santo
Marine protected areas (MPAs) are widely considered to be the best tool to protect ocean biodiversity. Generally speaking, an MPA is an area of the “ocean set aside for long-term conservation aims” (IUCN, 2017), although many other types of ocean protection fall into this category, including marine reserves, marine sanctuaries, or marine parks, all of […]
The Ocean at Science-Policy Interfaces: Books EIUI Team Members Are Reading
The ocean is vast, occupying about 71 percent of the Earth’s surface and holding 97 percent of its water. These dimensions alone highlight how the ocean dominants Earth. However, size is only one of many factors that position the ocean in critically important roles for the well-being of the planet. Food sources, transportation and communication […]
New Paper: On the Development of Criteria for Determining the Effectiveness of Technical Working Groups
Use of scientific information in evidence-based decision-making is critically important in contending with coastal and ocean management concerns. Evidence can reach policy- and decision-makers through a wide variety of channels, or it may not reach them at all due to a host of hurdles that can encumber information pathways. Furthermore, a myriad of information […]
“Tides of Change” – The ACCESS-Bay of Fundy Ecosystem Partnership Conference, 4-7 June 2024
With the highest tides in the world as a backdrop, the joint Atlantic Canada Coastal and Estuarine Science Society (ACCESS) and the Bay of Fund Ecosystem Partnership (BoFEP) biennial conference was aptly headlined “Tides of Change: Accelerating Conservation and Protection Efforts in Atlantic Canada’s Estuarine and Coastal Waters.” While the macro tides alone are a […]
The Role of Media in Promoting Awareness and Use of Research-Based Information
When scientists communicate their findings to broader audiences, the medium they use can have a substantial impact on how the information is absorbed and used. In recent years, attention has shifted in science communication from a focus on traditional media sources, such as news broadcasts and journal articles, to social media. The ubiquity of social […]
Measuring the Use and Influence of Research-Based Information
Effective use of research-based information is critical for informed decision- and policy-making. However, assessing the use and influence of such information can pose significant challenges due to the complex interactions between scientific knowledge, policy processes, and stakeholder interests (Bogenschneider et al., 2021; Englund et al., 2022; Soomai et al., 2016). In this blog post, we […]
Improving Use of Research-Based Information in Policy
The concept of evidence-based policymaking has gained significant traction in recent years. As societies grapple with increasingly complex challenges, from global pandemics to climate change, calls for policies that are grounded in scientifically-sound evidence have grown louder. However, the practical realization of this ideal remains somewhat elusive (Wardman, 2022). As a result, significant research efforts […]
What to Expect When Designing Public Consultations: Lessons from the Literature
Public involvement is key for policy development and revision. Governments undertake public consultation exercises to fulfil policy objectives ranging from information-sharing and increasing public acceptance to engaging in bi-lateral partnerships and power-sharing agreements (Doberstein, 2022; Health Canada, 2001). Public consultations can increase the perceived legitimacy of public decisions, build trust in institutions, and ensure that […]
New Paper: Information, Public Decision Making, and Climate Change: The Many Roles of Grey Literature
Today, the volume of information about the far-reaching effects of climate change is massive and growing. Following the discovery in the early decades of the twentieth century that rising global temperatures were primarily caused by carbon dioxide emissions, the number of publications on climate subjects rapidly spiralled upward, particularly since 2000. These publications could aid […]