November 2013: Participants at the Expert Group Meeting (EGM) on the science-policy interface adopted the Dubrovnik Declaration calling on national governments in Europe and the Mediterranean Basin region to facilitate and support science-policy dialogues, and to support and strengthen inter-ministerial policy coordination for sustainable development. The EGM is summarized in the latest issue of ‘Sustainable Development in Action,’ a newsletter of the UN Division for Sustainable Development (DSD).

The meeting, which was organized by DSD and hosted by the Government of Croatia from 21-22 October 2013, brought together 30 scientists, policy analysts, planners and others to discuss contributions to the Global Sustainable Development Report under the theme ‘Future directions and formalization of network of scientific contributors.’

The Dubrovnik Declaration also calls on governments in the region to: promote an institutionalized science-policy interface at the national level; support regional scientific networks; and consult with other governments, Major Groups and civil society.

The Declaration calls on regional and international institutions, particularly the Mediterranean Commission on Sustainable Development, to, inter alia: integrate regional and sub-regional perspectives in their work; support regional scientific networks that focus on sustainable development; and facilitate intra-regional capacity building on national sustainable development strategies (NSDS), including through interdisciplinary exchanges.

The Declaration outlines common regional challenges identified by meeting participants, including: the climate, land, energy, water nexus; education, including for sustainable development; equity, employment and social issues; management of the Mediterranean Sea; regional economic integration; and sustainable consumption and production (SCP). It recommends addressing these challenges through integrated, interdisciplinary approaches, such as integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) and SCP policies.

The UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20) Outcome Document called for production of a Global Sustainable Development Report in order to strengthen the science-policy interface and bring together dispersed information and existing assessments. The High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) launched a prototype of the report at its inaugural session on 24 September 2013. [Publication: Sustainable Development in Action, Vol. 1, Issue 10] [Dubrovnik Declaration] [IISD RS Story on Prototype Report]