Experiences with a dialogue process between policy makers and global modellers

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Between 1995 and 1997, a series of five workshops, henceforth called the Delft process, took place with the aim to explore and enhance use of the IMAGE 2 model to support international climate negotiations. The IMAGE 2 model is a multi-disciplinary, integrated model designed to simulate the dynamics of the global society-biosphere-climate system. The workshops facilitated a dialogue between policy makers and scientists involved in the development and applications of the IMAGE 2 model. In this way, policy makers would benefit from the policy makers on how to improve the policy relevance of the IMAGE 2 model. Participants evaluation at the end of the workshop series showed that participants have used information from the workshop at international negotiation conferences and in preparation of policy documents. The process shows that creating a forum for direct science-policy interactions can be both very useful and productive, and have confirmed the importance of creating an open and consrtuctive atmosphere between policy makers, and between policy makers and analysts, to enhance utilisation of scientific knowledge. Our analysis also suggests that many factors have to be 'in the right position at the right time and place' to achieve such a success, and that it is difficult to prevent the occurrence of biases in processes like this.With respect to modelling, the process has shown the usefulness of simple flexible tools as an interface between policy makers and the scientific community. At the same time, the Delft process confirms the importance of having more thorough and complex models to provide a credible knowledge basis. Linking the development of these types of tools , therefore, seems to be a fruitful way to enhance the supportive role modelling in policy development.