Why is it important for climate councils to operate according to the highest scientific standards and with the involvement of all stakeholders?

On July 31, 2024, the Climate Coalition - Bulgaria, with co-organizers BlueLink, Climateca, and Gorichka, held a satellite event within the framework of the 61st session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The event was titled "Why is it important for scientific climate advice to function according to the highest standards of the IPCC?" The main goal of the event was to promote the establishment in Bulgaria of a strong and independent climate advisory body, following the example of existing councils in Europe and around the world, by presenting various approaches to the formation and activities of such councils.

The event was opened by Apostol Dyankov, Head of the Department of Climate Policy Coordination at the Ministry of Environment and Water (right in the photo) and Pavel Antonov, PhD, Managing Editor of BlueLink. In his introductory presentation, Plamen Peev, PhD, Senior Expert on Climate Policies at the BlueLink Foundation, presented different approaches to forming climate policy advisory bodies, their main functions and roles, and lessons learned from their activities. He presented recommendations from an institutional and legal analysis of Bulgarian and European climate law, as well as the conclusions of the report " Climate Policy Councils: Success Factors and Lessons Learned" prepared by Matilda Milliand, a political science researcher at Stockholm University, and Karin Bäckstrand, Professor of Environmental Social Science in the Department of Political Science at Stockholm University.

Peev pointed out that Milliand and Bäckstrand identified four main categories of climate advisory councils in their report. Scientific climate policy councils are advisory bodies composed of independent scientists with expertise in natural sciences, social sciences, as well as interdisciplinary climate science. This approach ensures the independence, scientific weight, and integrity of the council. Similar councils exist in Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Forums of stakeholders represent another category of councils, with the primary aim of providing a platform for discussions involving participants who are not part of the executive power, allowing engagement from civil society, the private sector, academia, and local authorities. Such councils have been established in Croatia, the Czech Republic, Iceland, Mexico, and Australia.

Interdepartmental forums for climate policies with stakeholders are either part of the government or affiliated with it, and therefore do not have a fully independent or autonomous advisory/monitoring function. Often, these bodies function as stakeholder climate policy forums but include government officials from a wide range of ministries and agencies. Similar councils operate in Austria, Lithuania, Malta, Norway, Spain, South Africa, and India. Internal scientific advisory bodies perform some of the tasks of a climate advisory body but have a different institutional design—they are part of governmental institutions and are structured within state agencies, with one such body operating in the Netherlands.

Peev (on the right in the photo) drew the attention of the participants to the main functions that these councils can perform regardless of their composition and powers. They can provide evidence and inform the government about ways to achieve climate goals. They assess and monitor progress in achieving climate goals, hold governments accountable, and provide independent scientific guidance and recommendations. Not least, these councils facilitate public debate with stakeholders to increase public support for climate goals.

Ola Alterö, head of the Secretariat of the Swedish Climate Policy Council, presented the experience of the council as an independent, interdisciplinary expert body tasked with assessing whether the government's overall policy aligns with the climate goals set by parliament and the government, as well as promoting public debate on climate policies. He briefly introduced the participants to the activities, structure, tasks, and goals of the council, as well as the International Network of Climate Advisory Councils. Alterö noted that the council consists mainly of scientists who assist in the economic and social transition towards a low-carbon economy and only one climatology specialist, relying primarily on reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change for specialized knowledge and research. Alterö emphasized that perhaps the most important outcome of the council's work is to provide information that is accessible, understandable, fact-based, and perceived as credible by all.

Apostol Dyankov, representing the Ministry of Environment and Water (MOEW), stated that great care must be taken when determining both the composition and mandate of climate councils, as well as the topics to be discussed in them. The Ministry of Environment and Water, responsible for policies, directs the topics towards specific documents such as the National Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change and Action Plan, as well as the Long-Term Strategy for Mitigating Climate Change until 2050 for the Republic of Bulgaria. Apostol Dyankov also highlighted good practices, such as that of the Sofia Municipality and its Scientific Council for Climate and Climate Change.

Prof. Dr. Nina Nikolova, head of the master's program "Climate Change" at Sofia University, gave examples of good practices that could form the basis for future development and noted that climate science councils should include researchers who have achieved high scientific recognition in Bulgaria and the international scientific community. Prof. Nikolova pointed out that when constructing a council solely from academic circles, they should include researchers from various fields since climate research is interdisciplinary. If the council includes various stakeholders, representatives from the scientific community should primarily be climatologists, as this is a very specific sector.

Prof. Mariana Nikolova, National Institute of Geophysics, Geodesy, and Geography, BAS (standing in the photo), stated that the Scientific Council must correspond to the documents that need to be implemented. The need for expertise from specialists who complement the work of climatologists is crucial for the proper functioning of such a council. Identifying the risks of climate change and the vulnerability of municipalities is the starting point for where adaptation, mitigation, and nature-based solutions are needed. A key question is whether this should start at the municipal level or with natural regions. Although there is not much difference in the processes that occur, Bulgaria's climate is extremely complex.

Anna Angelova, senior expert on "Climate and Energy", presented the experience of the Sofia Municipality in creating the Scientific Council for Climate and Climate Change, as well as the measures taken to date. Informed decision-making is essential for the effectiveness of policies, and high scientific standards ensure that decisions are based on comprehensive and reliable scientific analysis. According to the representative of the Sofia Municipality, this approach is critical for developing effective strategies and policies that are not only scientifically sound but also capable of addressing long-term risks and opportunities related to climate change. Collaboration between the scientific community and institutions is key to successful adaptation to climate change. A concrete result of the council's work is the presentation and discussion of an adaptation plan for climate change in the "Lyulin" district based on a digital twin and nature-based solutions.

Prof. Georgi Rachev from the Department of Climatology, Hydrology, and Geomorphology (standing in the center of the photo) supported the thesis that climate research is interdisciplinary today. According to him, today's political decisions will become economic facts in several years and will affect the entire world. Climate boundaries do not limit climate, and every decision is complex, making the participation of experts crucial.

Plamen Peev closed the meeting with optimism, stating that such meetings give hope for steps in the right direction. Expanding the network of experts and the interconnection between the scientific community and organizations and coalitions that strongly stand behind the scientific principle, such as BlueLink, the Climate Coalition, Gorichka, and Climateca, are fundamental to successfully achieving the common goal.

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