Towards a science-led climate policy in the Arab region : Nature Middle East

Towards a science-led climate policy in the Arab region : Nature Middle East: "Towards a science-led climate policy in the Arab region

If Arab scientists want to play a role in climate change policy in the Arab world, then they desperately need to offer better-informed science, argues Ibrahim Abdel Gelil.

Ibrahim Abdel Gelil
Recent studies predict that sea level could rise by more than one metre this century if greenhouse gas emissions continue to escalate.Stefan Rahmstorf

The need to bridge the gap between science and public policy in the Arab region is obvious; the environmental and climate policy is no exception. In a region with a long history of autocratic political systems and underfunding of research and development (R&D), the scientific community is lacking both the independence and the resources it needs to drive the public-policy process.

The role of science in the policy cycle cannot be understated. The relationship between science and environmental policy can be categorized in two ways: science-led policy and policy-led science."