Modelers and policymakers : improving the relationships.

Abstract

On April 22 and 23, 2004, a diverse group of 14 policymakers, modelers, analysts, and scholars met with some 22 members of the Sandia National Laboratories staff to explores ways in which the relationships between modelers and policymakers in the energy and environment fields (with an emphasis on energy) could be made more productive for both. This report is not a transcription of that workshop, but draws very heavily on its proceedings. It first describes the concept of modeling, the varying ways in which models are used to support policymaking, and the institutional context for those uses. It then proposes that the goal of modelers and policymakers should be a relationship of mutual trust, built on a foundation of communication, supported by the twin pillars of policy relevance and technical credibility. The report suggests 20 guidelines to help modelers improve the relationship, followed by 10 guidelines to help policymakers toward the same goal.

Supporting the Constructive Use of Existing Hydrological Models in Participatory Settings: a Set of “Rules of the Game”

“…When guidelines are provided (Smith Korfmacher 2001, Caminiti 2004, Karas 2004, Voinov and Brown Gaddis 2008, these typically set objectives (e.g., the modeling process should be transparent, the public should participate continuously and have influence on modeling decisions) and suggest tactics (e.g., make modelers document and present their assumptions and the model's uncertainties and limitations, manage the expectations of stakeholders from the start). However, they do not make clear how these objectives can be attained or how these tactics can be implemented procedurally.…”

“…Guidelines for model development and use in policy processes (Smith Korfmacher 2001, Caminiti 2004, Karas 2004, Voinov and Brown Gaddis 2008 emphasize good and continuous communication between modelers and other participants about what the model should preferably be able to do, from the participants' perspectives, and what it actually can do, from the modelers' perspectives. Our "rules of the game" that relate specifically to the use of http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol16/iss2/art16/ models (the sets MT and MP) do not go far beyond this norm.…”

“…Similar to the guidelines proposed by Karas (2004) and Caminiti (2004), our rules implicitly assume that the modelers have adequate knowledge and skills, adhere to professional standards (Refgaard et al 2005, Jakeman et al 2006, and, even more importantly, are aware of their limitations in these respects.…”

Evaluating the Use of an Integrated Approach to Support Energy and Climate Policy Formulation and Evaluation

“…-The political context, often excluded from quantitative studies, is an important factor influencing policy effectiveness. A participatory approach is needed to understand the political context and create trust between modeler and policy makers [3,12].…”

Creating Synergies from Renewable Energy Investments, a Community Success Story from Lolland, Denmark

“…In order for policies and strategies to be successfully implemented in small remote communities, policy makers and the public have to establish a relationship of mutual trust, which can be achieved by combining the knowledge of the context in which policy making takes place [7] with an objective cross-sectoral evaluation of the impacts on society, economy and the environment. The CTF was developed with the understanding that the local community was a key driver for the success of a longer-term strategy on renewable energy, and several meetings and public hearing were held to make sure that both issues and options were clearly understood.…”