1. 5th Plenary meeting, China, October 2010
Policy briefs and
advocacy
by Both ENDS and CARI
October 14th
, 2010

2. 5th Plenary meeting, China, October 2010
3. Policy brief topics
• Botswana:
“Highlights on the energy options and
implications for Boteti area ”
• China:
“The DESIRE methodology in steps
for a policy audience”.
• Mexico:
“ Designing SLM and combating land degradation programmes
needs to address economic benefits for local stakeholders;”
• Russia:
“Cut water subsidies from 90% to 40%, and use the remaining
50% for farmers to buy new technologies for irrigation”
5th Plenary meeting, China, October 2010

3. 5th Plenary meeting, China, October 2010
3. Policy brief topics
• Turkey:
“Stimulating soil preservation can combat
poverty ”
• Morocco:
"Get national level SLM policies
implemented by praising the method of local
stakeholder involvement”
• Tunisia:
“Support rangeland resting as a land management strategy”
• Italy:
“Land degradation and decreasing food production: CAP
subsidies on the wrong track”
5th Plenary meeting, China, October 2010

4. 5th Plenary meeting, China, October 2010
3. Policy brief topics
• Spain:
“Local solutions adapted to the local
context are also solutions
to global SLM problems”
• Portugal:
“Unexpected impacts from tested land use
management strategies related to forest fires”
• Chile:
“Well-informed decision-making leads to changing priorities for
investing SLM resources”
• Cape Verde:
“Stakeholder involvement contributing to SLM: where the
methodology can make the difference”
• Greece: ?
5th Plenary meeting, China, October 2010

5. 5th Plenary meeting, China, October 2010
It’s feasible !…
• Policy briefs are part of lobbying and
everybody is lobbying : the states, the
private sector, the ngos, the scientists, the
farmers…
• a democratic tradition
• can make a difference,
• Can generate better policies and laws, enhance
their application and/or change laws for the
better solutions with the aim of the social
benefit…

6. 5th Plenary meeting, China, October 2010
The tools of advocacy depend on the situation
5th Plenary meeting, China, October 2010
The tools of
advocacy
Informal Official
Soft
" Discreet Diplomacy "
Direct/indirect contacts
Conversations/discussions
Targeted letters
quiet
Letters to the authorities
Analytical letters
Statement of position
Quiet/Public
Raising awareness
" Good practices "
Hard
" Discreet Diplomacy "
Confidential letters
Targeted denunciations
Reports of deficiency
Quiet/Public
Raising awareness
" Good practices "
Raising awareness
Training
Public
Public reports
Press releases
Damning testimonies
Letters of denunciation
Petitions
Pressures
Boycott

7. 5th Plenary meeting, China, October 2010
Pre-requisites
• Having credible and practically usefull
scientific results
• Having a minimum understanding of the
current policies and who is in charge
• Be aware that a policy document is a
statement of intent
• But goals and activities should be
outlined
• Remember the RIFT principle

8. 5th Plenary meeting, China, October 2010
The seven steps ladder for lobbying (in science and
research for change-BIOTA/South Africa )
1- Define the issue : For »
something rather than
« against » something
2- Identify the points
where a decision could
achieve your outcome :
Where and in which
process should i raise
my issue ?
3- Identify the decision
maker : consider the
issue from his point of
vue
4 - Identify the
appropriate tools and
actions
5- Target your efforts :
maxime the outcomes
according
6 - Identify skills and
ressources
7 - Implement your plan

9. 5th Plenary meeting, China, October 2010
I…ntelligence ?
• Initiative
• Information
• Input
• Influencing
• Incentive
• Implementation
• Innovation
• ….

10. 5th Plenary meeting, China, October 2010
INFORMATION
INPUT AND ADVICE
INPUT AND ADVICE
WHAT Is ON THE TABLE ?
DESIRE REPORTS
1.3.1. Drivers and policies
WB 3 reports
WB 5 modelling outputs

11. 5th Plenary meeting, China, October 2010
Other
synthetized
scientific
information
POSTER
POSTER

12. 5th Plenary meeting, China, October 2010
Writing a policy brief ? (1/2)
• Determine your topic or issue
• Formulate your opinion or statement into
a single-sentence thesis statement which
you will keep in mind while writing the
document
• Give a short but precise description of
the context with numbers + pictures or
diagrammes + references
• Highlight the problem and support the
description with 2/3 examples and says
+ picture or diagrame + references

13. 5th Plenary meeting, China, October 2010
Writing a policy brief ? (2/2)
• Draft the body of your paper and introduce
your statement using 2/3 supporting
evidence in separate paragraph
• Research opposite arguments, refute them in
the text, and give the impression you have
considered all points of vue
• Conclude by summerizing your argument
and/or offer a memorable one line-ending
with additional thoughts to consider relative
to your argument
• Give your paper a catchy title

14. 5th Plenary meeting, China, October 2010
Other comments about the
structure and plan
American accumulation
plan
• Introduction : the issue
introduced, the issue
clarified, the opinion
mentioned
• Développement : first
aspect + arguments, second
aspect + arguments, third
aspects + arguments
• Conclusion : the analysed
aspects, the statement, the
final word
•
The dialectic plan
• Introduction the issue
introduced, the issue clarified, the
« for » and the « against »
• Développement : first aspect is
the thesis ( your statement),
second aspect is the antithesis,
third aspect is the synthetis ( your
statement confirmed)
• Conclusion this case there is no
need for a conclusion because the
synthesis is the conslusionn :

15. 5th Plenary meeting, China, October 20105th Plenary meeting, China, October 2010
Lets try together !
• Work in group (3 people)
• Formulate your opinion or
statement to your colleagues and
discuss it
• Write it in a single-sentence thesis
statement
• Make a bullet point list of the
scientific arguments to support
your statement out of the DESIRE
project
• Tell your colleagues what your
specific audience is
• Any catchy title ?