Environmental Policy Brief
8 weeks · 0 milestones
Write a policy brief (maximum 4 pages) on a specific real environmental issue for a specific named decision-maker — a government environment agency, a planning authority, a local authority, a conservation body, or a named NGO. The evidence base must draw primarily on environmental monitoring data and ecological science: air quality records, biodiversity survey data, climate projections, EIA findings, or conservation science research. The brief must not rely solely on social science or health evidence — those are covered by separate outcomes (social-policy-analysis-recommendation and health-policy-brief respectively). What distinguishes this outcome is its evidence domain: environmental science data analysed through an environmental regulatory and conservation framework, for a decision-maker whose remit is environmental protection or resource management. The policy recommendation must be specific and actionable. Reviewed by an environmental scientist or environmental policy practitioner who challenges the evidence base — specifically, whether the cited monitoring data supports the claimed environmental impact at the stated confidence level — and asks what monitoring data would change the recommendation.
Milestone map
Milestone map
3 milestones
Select a specific, current environmental policy issue with a clear scientific evidence base and identify the key stakeholders who would receive and act on a policy brief about it. A policy brief is distinct from a research report — it translates scientific evidence for a policymaker audience and recommends specific action. The quality of the evidence base determines the quality of the recommendations.
Proof required
Submit a one-paragraph policy problem statement that names the specific environmental issue, identifies the decision-maker who would receive this brief, and explains why action is required now. Include an annotated evidence list of 8–12 sources (peer-reviewed science, regulatory assessments, or established intergovernmental reports) with each annotation stating the source's relevance to the policy problem.
What gets checked
- Policy problem is specific and current — names a specific regulation, programme, or decision point that this brief would inform
- Decision-maker is named — 'policymakers' is too vague; the brief must be directed to a specific role (e.g., 'local authority environmental officers deciding whether to adopt green infrastructure standards in a planning policy update')
- Evidence sources are primary scientific papers or established authoritative reports (IPCC, WHO, EPA, UNEP) — not journalism or opinion pieces