Science-Policy-Society Interfaces methodology
A methodology to analyse how efficient and effective SPSIs can contribute to sound policy-making and decision-making, including enhanced coherence and cross-compliance of selected and Green Deal-related marine policies.
The scope of the analysis is to investigate:
the contribution of SPSI to coherence and cross-compliance in policy formulation, policy implementation and decision-making; the way specific policy areas are affected by SPSIs; the identification of key elements and mechanisms for effective SPSIs, and the identification of main barriers and enablers.
4 main conceptual elements
Policy area
The methodology is designed in a way to be flexibly applied to different policies and policy areas, in line with the needs and specificities of the case study under analysis.
Policy areas in CrossGov
2030 Climate Target Plan, Climate Change Adaptation, Biodiversity Strategy 2030, Zero pollution, Sustainable Blue Economy; WFD, MSFD, MSPD, Habitats Directive, Birds Directive, Nature Restoration Regulation, Nitrates Directive, Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive, Environmental Impact Assessment Directive , Renewable Energy Directive, Common Agricultural Policy, Common Fisheries Policy.
Research questions
Science-Policy-Society systems
Defining the Science-Policy-Society system under analysis through the identification of the main actors involved, with their main role and with reference to different phases of the policy cycle and their main interconnections, is seen as a key element, actually the starting point, of the SPSI analysis
Defining the science-Policy-Society systems under analysis
Six Building Blocks
BB-A - Data & knowledge
How data and knowledge are made available and used in the policy making and decision making process.
Output
BB-B - Assessments
How assessments assemble the best knowledge available in a form useful for decision making.
Output
BB-C Models of scientific policy advice and knowledge transfer mechanisms
Models and transfer mechanisms used and their effectiveness
Methods
BB-D Permanent SPSI platforms
Permanent platforms (e.g. expert panels, Communities of Practice, SPSI networks, research outreach associations, co-developed web platforms) and their role in SPS and in implementing knowledge transfer mechanisms
Methods
BB-E Competence framework for researchers, policy-makers and stakeholders
How competence frameworks (i.e. interdisciplinary knowledge, skills and attitudes) and related capacity building activities influence the SPS process.
Inputs
BB-F Funding & resources
How funding and availability of infrastructures and human resources affect the multiple dimensions of SPSI.
Inputs
Connection between policies, research questions and Building Blocks

Key attributes & examples of guiding questions of building blocks

BB-A Data & Knowledge

Availability and access to data
  • How easy and open is the access to data relevant to the policy process?
  • Are data available in a timely way to support the policy process?
  • Does the governance system foster collection, update, and sharing of data?
  • Are there specific problems with specific data / knowledge providers? 
  • To what extent are data intelligible to an extended pool of dedicated non-experts?
  • Are knowledge gaps identified and declared?
  • Are uncertainties quantified and made transparent?
  • Which topics / disciplines are more important for the policies under analysis (e.g. biodiversity, pollutants, fish and biotic resources in general, coastal morphodynamics) and where are key knowledge gaps?
  • Considering specific policies and how they account for each other, is there integration of data & knowledge from different disciplines and across policies? To what extent?
  • Is the spatial scale of data and knowledge, including the transboundary dimension, coherent with policy objectives?

BB-B Assessments

Relevance, legitimacy, credibility
  • How do you qualify relevance, legitimacy and credibility of the assessments considered?
  • Are knowledge gaps and uncertainties made transparent in the assessment?
  • Is the spatial scale of the assessment coherent with its overall objectives?
  • Are all the key providers of data/knowledge identified and involved?
  • Is this considering both the public and private operators as well as the civil society?
  • Are there gaps to be highlighted?
  • Is their role well recognised and valued, both in the knowledge production and in the knowledge use phases?
  • Is the assessment considering an extended policy area or is its scope limited? If the latter, why?
  • Can it be seen as having a cross-sectoral approach?
  • Does it look at coherence and/or cross-compliance?

BB-C Models of scientific policy advice and knowledge transfer mechanisms

Type of model
  • Are existing models closer to linear or collaborative models?
  • For collaborative models: are there institutional structures, favouring translation of knowledge into meaningful SPSI outputs and open collaboration?
  • Are proper communication, translation, and mediation mechanisms in place?
  • How effective is the role of society in co-producing knowledge and informing policy and decision making
  • How are transfer mechanisms linked and how much they affect relevance, legitimacy, credibility?
  • Are there transfer mechanisms in place and which obligations and procedures do they follow?
  • How formal/informal and permanent/occasional are existing mechanisms?
  • How effective are knowledge transfer mechanisms effective in informing policy and practice?
  • Which challenges are possibly encountered?
  • At which stages of the policy cycle are these transfer mechanisms used and show their effectiveness? 

BB-D Permanent SPSI platforms

Type and role of platforms
  • What type of platforms are in place (e.g. formal and institutional, research oriented, business oriented, informal and voluntary)?
  • What is their role and specific mission?
  • In which phase of the policy cycle do they play a role?
  • Which type of actors are involved (e.g. Research and academia, Administrations/Agencies, Consultants and Private Sectors, Society)?
  • Are all relevant stakeholders regularly engaged?
  • What is their role within the platforms?
  • Are there any challenges reported (e.g., efficiency loss, lack of transparency, access to or understanding of information, etc.)?
  • Are the platforms considering an extended policy area or is their scope limited? If the latter, why?
  • Can they be seen as having a cross-sectoral approach?
  • Do they look at coherence and/or cross-compliance?

BB-E Competence framework for researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders

Type of competence
  • Is capacity-building directed at increasing interdisciplinary and systemic expertise or is it tailored to particular knowledge needs and disciplines?
  • Is this considered adequate, or are gaps present?
  • Which subject-specific knowledge is being addressed by capacity-building activities (e.g., environmental & marine science, IT, institutional & regulatory setup, politics & policies, economics, leadership & engagement, communication, etc.)?
  • Is this responding to existing needs?
  • Is there enough awareness and attention to identify and build adequate competence frameworks on SPSI for researches and policy-makers?
  • Which type of activities are being carried out or planned (e.g., courses, fellowships/internships/secondments, workshops/events/other short training, etc.)?
  • Are there organisations in charge of, and promoting initiatives and activities to build such competence frameworks?
  • Who are the targets of capacity-building activities (e.g., scientists/researchers, policymakers, private sector, society, youth, etc.)?
  • Who should be targeted mainly and/or additionally?
  • What are main stages of the policy cycle that could benefit more from these competence frameworks?

BB-F Funding & resources

Type of funding
  • What are main types of funding and their characteristics? (e.g., public, crowd, project, membership, in-kind, private, etc.)
  • Are available resources mainly demand-driven, supply-driven, or proceeding from competitive funding schemes?
  • Is this affecting relevance, credibility, and/or legitimacy of information?
  • How much are fundings influencing or determining the orientation of research towards public goals and its  relevance for practical problems?
  • What are main stages of the policy cycle that are more affected by funding and resources?
  • Is the level of funding adequate in terms of total amount, continuity, allocation (e.g., human resources, infrastructures, services, communication)?
  • Are resources effectively driving the production of knowledge to support policy making, with the expected long-term and anticipatory vision?
  • Are resources homogeneously distributed to cover policy needs under investigation?
  • Are human resources a limiting factor and in which compartment or sector?

Want to read the full methodology?

Continue to Module 4 and discover the Toolkit on Policy Coherence Analysis.

Alternatively, you can read the Deliverable 1.4 (SPS assessment), providing the full comprehensive methodological approach for SPSI analysis drafted at the beginning of the CrossGov project.