New policy brief series presented in workshop

The SDG Bergen Policy Briefs will be a unique addition to the toolbox of researchers wanting to provide science advice. The series will have a particular focus on the subgoals and targets in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

A first presentation of the SDG Bergen Policy Briefs was made in the workshop Science diplomacy in the age of the SDGs on Day Zero of the SDG Conference Bergen – 5 February 2020.

• Researchers with current science engaging with the SDGs, may submit a proposal to the SDG Bergen Science Advice secretariat.

Science and the SDGs

“Science is playing an ever more important part in the implementation of the SDGs, and we are proud to have taken part in the early stages of this process,” said Pro-Rector Margareth Hagen in her welcome to the workshop participants.

“However, we are not content with this and believe for science to remain at the heart of the 2030 Agenda, academia must provide knowledge directly into the UN system, the EU, national governments, research councils, and elsewhere. That is why workshops such as this one are so important and can contribute to more thinking across disciplines and contribute to the university's impact on society.”

From side events to policy briefs

She then went on to talk about the SDG Bergen Policy Briefs, a series launching in spring 2020.

“The goal of these policy briefs is to tie research directly to SDG targets, thus strengthening the role of science in global sustainable development,” said Hagen.

Scientific Director Edvard Hviding then presented the work of SDG Bergen Science Advice. IN particular he presented the work done on the science-policy nexus, in particular a number of side events at high-level conferences starting with the 2017 UN Ocean Conference in New York.

“Since then we have been present with high-profile side events at COP24 in Katowice in late 2018, the 2019 High-level Political Forum at the UN, and a special session at the Our Ocean conference in Oslo in autumn 2019,” said Hviding, who also acted as the host of the workshop.

Introducing the SDG Bergen Policy Briefs

Communications adviser Sverre Ole Drønen then gave a brief presentation of the SDG Bergen Policy Briefs.

“We believe in events and policy briefs, not long and winding reports that nobody reads – least of all policy-makers. The very ones we want to reach,” he said and pointed to four key goals for the policy briefs. (SEE FACTS.)

“After the SDG Conference Bergen, we will approach researchers for the first policy briefs, and for the first of these we are trying to focus on the 21 SDG-targets maturing this year, many of which deal with biodiversity. As the University of Bergen also has a special role on SDG14, Life below water, this will also be important.”

Both Hviding and Drønen pointed out that the aim is to cover all 17 SDGs with the SDG Bergen Policy Briefs and one of several reasons to host the workshop was to present the idea to a wider group of researchers at the university.