Bridging Science and Policy to Mitigate and Adapt Cities to Climate Change: Challenges and Opportunities in the Context of the Basque Declaration

The document examines the intersection of science and urban policy, identifying that while research can provide robust data to validate decision-making and increase citizen trust, significant gaps exist due to differing timeframes, technical languages, and motivations. It argues that co-creating solutions and bridging the gap between researchers and practitioners is essential for the successful implementation of the Basque Declaration's sustainability goals.

• The Basque Declaration, adopted in April 2016, outlines ten objectives for European cities and towns, including the decarbonisation of energy systems, creation of sustainable urban mobility, protection of biodiversity and water resources, and adaptation to climate change.
• Cities are critical to climate action as they are responsible for between 71% and 76% of greenhouse gas emissions and house 80% of the European population.
• Scientific collaboration provides local administrations with robust information that can validate policy options, rule out alternatives with uncontrollable impacts, and reduce the perception of political arbitrariness in decision-making.
• A significant gap exists between science and policy due to differing motivations, languages, and timeframes; researchers often operate on long-term scales while managers require short-term, applicable responses.
• Technical communication is a primary weakness, as scientific reports are often too complex for managers, who prioritize conclusions and applicability over methodological development.
• Potential threats to urban climate action include a lack of leadership, short-sighted decision-making, and the risk of 'green' marketing where declarations are signed but not actively implemented.
• Successful collaboration requires the co-creation of solutions and the involvement of practitioners, such as consultancy and engineering firms, to transfer scientific methodologies to local administrations.

APA

Olazabal, M., & de Murieta, E. S. (2016). Bridging Science and Policy to Mitigate and Adapt Cities to Climate Change: Challenges and Opportunities in the Context of the Basque Declaration. Basque Centre for Climate Change. https://www.bc3research.org/h6T8Uy8Nm4gFs0O/20160830015407873033344.pdf

Chicago

Olazabal, Marta, and Elisa Sainz de Murieta. Bridging Science and Policy to Mitigate and Adapt Cities to Climate Change: Challenges and Opportunities in the Context of the Basque Declaration. Basque Centre for Climate Change, 2016. https://www.bc3research.org/h6T8Uy8Nm4gFs0O/20160830015407873033344.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Olazabal |first1=Marta |last2=de Murieta |first2=Elisa Sainz |title=Bridging Science and Policy to Mitigate and Adapt Cities to Climate Change: Challenges and Opportunities in the Context of the Basque Declaration |publisher=Basque Centre for Climate Change |date=2016 |url=https://www.bc3research.org/h6T8Uy8Nm4gFs0O/20160830015407873033344.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{olazabal2016bridging, author = {Olazabal, Marta and de Murieta, Elisa Sainz}, title = {{Bridging Science and Policy to Mitigate and Adapt Cities to Climate Change: Challenges and Opportunities in the Context of the Basque Declaration}}, institution = {Basque Centre for Climate Change}, year = {2016}, url = {https://www.bc3research.org/h6T8Uy8Nm4gFs0O/20160830015407873033344.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }