The Design and Management of International Scientific Assessments

IN RECENT DECADES, international scientific assessments have become a prominent and increasingly important feature of world affairs and global civil society. Facing an array of complex global challenges, diplomats and international public managers have turned to scientific assessments as a tool not only for identifying policy problems and potential solutions but also for bridging the cultural gaps that divide nations. Many international organizations now conduct scientific assessments as a regular part of their ongoing activities. ¹ International environmental, trade, and security agreements increasingly include provisions that establish expert advisory institutions and mandate assessment procedures. ² A growing number of independent and quasi-independent scientific assessment organizations also now exist: some issue specific assessments such as those produced by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, while others, including the InterAcademy Council, are designed to provide advice and assessments on a wide range of policy issues. ³