Getting to Policy Impact: Lessons from 20 Years of Bridging Science and Policy with Sustainability Knowledge

The report analyzes how sustainability knowledge—comprising both substantive technical data and process-oriented expertise—influences public policy. Through six case studies, it identifies that policy impact is not linear but occurs through instrumental, interactive, political, and enlightenment models. Key success factors include the presence of high-level political 'champions', the use of stakeholder engagement to build legitimacy, and the development of long-term trust between knowledge providers and policy users. The document concludes with ten general suggestions for researchers to enhance their policy relevance, emphasizing the need to balance independent research with user-led collaboration and to communicate findings in accessible, timely formats.

• Policy impact is categorized by depth into three levels: knowledge acquired (assimilation of ideas), knowledge interpreted (new understanding of cause-effect relations), and knowledge institutionalized (incorporation into rules and policies).
• In Washington State, SEI and the Center for Climate Strategies (CCS) provided quantification of GHG emission reduction potential, which helped the legislature pass ESSHB 2815 by demonstrating that targets were feasible.
• The use of the REAP (resources and energy analysis programme) tool in the UK provided quantitative evidence on the carbon footprint of housing, which influenced the Yorkshire & Humber Regional Spatial Strategy and was used by Leeds City Council to support tougher new-build housing standards.
• SEI's involvement in Estonian waste policy between 2000 and 2008 included drafting packaging legislation and developing the National Waste Plan (2007) using life cycle assessment (LCA) and the WAMPS model.
• The introduction of Environmental Tax Reform (ETR) in Estonia was facilitated by SEI's role in drafting the 2003 coalition agreement and providing a comprehensive overview of EU green tax practices.
• SEI's support for the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the Montreal Protocol led to the adoption of a programmatic approach and the strengthening of National Ozone Units and regional networks.
• In the area of tropospheric ozone, SEI achieved a substantive policy impact by integrating a flux-based approach for assessing ozone impacts on crops (2004) and forests (2008) into the Integrated Assessment Modelling (IAM) of the LRTAP Convention.
• SEI triggered the adoption of regional air pollution policies in Southern Africa and South Asia through the RAPIDC Programme, resulting in the Harare Resolution, the Malé Declaration, and the Cañuelas Declaration.
• High policy impact is often dependent on 'tornado politics', where shared values and low uncertainty allow science to compel action, often driven by high-level leadership such as a Governor's Executive Order.
• Effective science-policy bridging requires a balance between user-led, collaborative research and independently defined research to maintain scientific credibility and avoid 'regulatory capture'.

APA

Forrester, J., Nilsson, M., Lee, C., Moora, H., Persson, L., Persson, Å., Peterson, K., Simon, J., & Tuhkanen, H. (2009). Getting to Policy Impact: Lessons from 20 Years of Bridging Science and Policy with Sustainability Knowledge. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-ResearchReport-Forrester-GettingToPolicyImpactLessonsFrom20Years-2009.pdf

Chicago

Forrester, John, Måns Nilsson, Carrie Lee, Harri Moora, Linn Persson, Åsa Persson, Kaja Peterson, Julie Simon, and Heidi Tuhkanen. Getting to Policy Impact: Lessons from 20 Years of Bridging Science and Policy with Sustainability Knowledge. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2009. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-ResearchReport-Forrester-GettingToPolicyImpactLessonsFrom20Years-2009.pdf.

Wikipedia

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BibTeX

@techreport{forrester2009getting, author = {Forrester, John and Nilsson, Måns and Lee, Carrie and Moora, Harri and Persson, Linn and Persson, Åsa and Peterson, Kaja and Simon, Julie and Tuhkanen, Heidi}, title = {{Getting to Policy Impact: Lessons from 20 Years of Bridging Science and Policy with Sustainability Knowledge}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2009}, url = {https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-ResearchReport-Forrester-GettingToPolicyImpactLessonsFrom20Years-2009.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }