VISTA days 2021 – A How-To on scientific advice

At the 2021 VISTA Researcher Day, the VISTA centres CSD and CAROS (NTNU) were hosted by The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters to discuss scientific advice as a response to crisis and critical events, but also as a strategic component for policy in preparation for the future.

The current pandemic situation served as a model problem on how science-policy advice not only has to be composed, but also communicated. Young researchers and PhD students who participated got the opportunity to reflect on the many-faceted situation and the consequences of advice given under uncertainty of data, guided by the directors of both research centres, Prof. Inga Berre (CSD) and Prof. Asgeir J. Sørensen (CAROS). The topic cumulated into a talk by Director-General of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health Dr. Camilla Stoltenberg, the keynote speaker for this event. She shared her experiences and strategies on how the institute acquired, analysed and formed data into advice for policy makers under the aspect of uncertainty.

The participants were also confronted with the topic of subsea floor utilization. Mining efforts to feed the world’s need for rare earth metals and minerals, as well as carbon storage are the main drivers for these considerations, which are going to pose major challenges for the international society in the near future. To limit human impact on the environment, the aforementioned aspirations have to be carried out under equivalent ecological and moral standards. How to weight dire needs of the industry versus the risk and possible damage to the ocean, a vast landscape untouched and unknown to humankind, was one of the issues. The keyword uncertainty connects these two topics and the search for the answer on what science can do in the face of the unknown. Under the guidance of the CSD and CAROS directors, as well as VISTA board chair Dr. Ole Sejersted and DNVA representative Prof. Anders Elverhøi, the participants drew parallels and presented critical questions, which need to be answered before the endeavour begins.

On November 17^th, the International VISTA Seminar took place, for which The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters gathered a round of European experts involved with subsea research, including disciplines ranging from climate research over microbiology to geodetic mapping. The broad audience and group of talks enabled the participants to illuminate the topic of subsea floor processes and a sustainable ocean from multiple angles, discuss the options of immediate industrial exploitation, research prioritization or a moratorium on subsea mining, and to get an overview on opinions of different stakeholders and parties involved. The subsequent panel discussion represented a first step towards formal advice from the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters on this matter.