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Module issue is in the scientific and technical realm, the impact strategy should consider that the audience
3 most likely to be interested in the IEA will be in this area. It will take more concerted effort to gain

the attention of the general public, private and political interests.

During the second phase in which there is a rapid rise of public and political attention to the issue,
?
there is a “window of opportunity” in which the impact strategy can consider the possibilities of
9-12 December, 2013 ? If the issue is in the third phase, where the issue is on both the scientific and political agendas
reframing the issue and attracting new actors to become involved in dealing with the issue.

and there is considerable interaction between these communities, the impact strategy will be
able to address the broader communities of concerned actors, when scientific analysis, public
interest and political agendas are closely linked. It is at this stage that an impact strategy may
have its most obvious and immediate results. Keep in mind though, that an impact strategy

developed at this stage will be ineffective. The strategy must be developed early; it will just
have its greatest impact at this stage.

There is a certain inevitability that issues will recede from the attention of the general public. An
impact strategy may help to:

? mitigate the falling off of public attention by focusing on more direct engagement of target
decision-makers; and

? shorten the issue attention cycle by moving a relevant issue back into the public eye more frequently.

There will always be unexpected catastrophic events that can play a major role in tectonic shifts in
public policy. In these circumstances, public interest and policy response may peak simultaneously,
with pressure placed on knowledge seeking efforts for rapid response. One has only to consider,
for example, the effect of the 2004 Tsunami in Asia,the 2010 Tsunami in Japan and cyclone Gonu in

Sultanate of Oman in 2007 on policies to implement early warning systems. These events can have
two outcomes for your own impact strategy:

? You can seize the opportunity to relate your assessment findings with the catastrophic event. For
example, in 1997, one could have tied SoE report findings on land management to the massive land-
clearing fires and resulting haze blankets across Asia that led to $US1.4 billion in short-term health
costs and fire damage (IISD 2002), and you could also relate your analyses to the environmental
damages caused by the cyclone Gonu to the coastal recourses in the Sultanate of Oman. Or

? Your work will be moved off the political and bureaucratic radar screen for the immediate
future. You will need to complete your mandated requirements for the assessment, but continue
to foster the relationships built through the process, and be ready for the time to advance the
findings.

14 Developing an Impact Strategy for your IEA