Bridging Science and Policy: Insight from the collaboration with DG-MOVE (European Commission) on Climate-Resilient Transport

Working with policymakers presents a valuable opportunity for researchers to increase their impact and effectively support stakeholders and decision-makers. Scientific results and analyses are essential to guide and inform decisions regarding, for example, climate adaptation and mitigation measures.  However, this collaboration comes with both rewards and challenges, ranging from differences in language and methodology to mismatched timelines. The pace and demands of working with policymakers often differ significantly from the timelines and workflows typically followed in academic research.

In this presentation, I share my experience as a researcher for the Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport of the European Commission (DG MOVE). I was involved in a Support study on the climate adaptation and cross-border investment needs to realise the TEN-T network.  The study was conducted within a consortium comprising private companies and universities, focusing on the exposure and impact of climate change on European transport infrastructure. Using ISIMIP climate model simulations, we calculated the exposure of the TEN-T network to floods, droughts, heatwaves, wildfires, and tropical cyclones. The results were presented at the Connecting Europe Days 2024 in Brussels, in front of a large audience of policymakers and politicians. The output was a report published for the European Commission. The aim of the project was to inform and guide policymakers on the urgency of considering the increasing impacts of climate extremes when investing in the European Transport Network.

From this experience, several strategies and best practices can be highlighted to facilitate effective collaboration with policymakers and institutions. These lessons learned can serve as examples to ensure productive and impactful partnerships in similar contexts.