New letter on Science argues for more support for climate policy researchers

In a letter published in Download Science, researchers, including SusTec’s Alejandro Nuñez-Jimenez, have emphasized the need for efficient policies informed by independent, objective analysis to maximize the impact of recent public investments in climate action. The European Union and the United States have announced plans to spend $573 and $391 billion, respectively, through 2030 on climate actions, but this still falls short of the more than $4 trillion in global clean energy investment needed annually by 2030 to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

The letter also highlights the need for investment in researchers, many of whom will likely spend their careers analyzing clean energy technology and policy rollouts, assessing their impacts on society, and advising on needed course corrections. Academic institutions have a key role to play in supporting policy- researchers by removing barriers to interdisciplinary, applied, policy-focused research and setting up the right incentives for researchers to engage in policy-relevant work.

For example, the authors suggest that institutions can support policy-relevant researchers by facilitating connections through policy-focused workshops, providing media engagement training and by reevaluating how to measure and grade policy engagement and impact. The gravity of the climate crisis requires a rethinking of academia's role in supporting and fostering policy-relevant research.

Read the entire letter here: Download https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adf8956