User:Prototyperspective/Timeline of governance and policy studies 2020–present

Timeline of significant events in policy studies, governance studies, international relations studies and security studies that are related to policy (or policies) in or for multiple countries, internationally or globally.

Studies or events relating to policies within only a single country as well as reports by think tanks and other organizations that were not published in an academic journal are not included here.

Environmental policy

 * 2020
 * February – A study reviews the literature on climate change mitigation (CCM) co-benefits, concluding that these benefits are commonly overlooked in policy-making. Such benefits include physical activity, soil and water quality, energy security and air quality. The share of studies "quantifying or monetizing co-benefits" is found to be limited, despite often equaling or exceeding CCM benefits values.
 * March – A study reviews and assesses climate change mitigation polices for global industry (alongside technologies).
 * March – A study with over 3,600 signatories assesses the EU's Common Agricultural Policy, broadly describing 10 "action points for delivering sustainable food production, biodiversity conservation and climate mitigation".
 * April – A review shows that and how economic (GDP) growth contributes to biodiversity loss, despite the majority of international biodiversity and sustainability policies advocating for economic growth and outlines broad policy proposals to move beyond the growth paradigm while enhancing overall prosperity.
 * June – A study assesses the political impact of the Sustainable Development Goals on institutions and policies across countries and globally based on over 3,000 studies, suggesting that the goals' impact has been "largely discursive, affecting the way actors understand and communicate about sustainable development" but otherwise had "only limited transformative political impact".


 * 2021
 * February – A study concludes that the rates of emissions reductions need to increase by 80% beyond NDCs to meet the 2°C upper target range of the Paris Agreement, that the probabilities of major emitters meeting their NDCs without such an increase is very low, estimating that with current trends the probability of staying below 2 °C of warming is 5% and if NDCs were met and continued post-2030 by all signatory systems 26%.
 * August – A study suggests that the global policy Montreal Protocol intended to control the production of ozone-depleting substances has also substantially mitigated climate change.
 * September – A study reports that transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy systems reduces risks from mining, trade and political dependence because renewable energy systems don't need fuel – they depend on trade only for the acquisition of materials and components during construction.
 * November – A study contributes to a disentangling of the current geopolitical and economic implications of and incentives for a swift renewable energy transition, suggesting i.a. that how fast fossil energy markets decline is primarily decided by the major energy importers China, India, Japan and the EU and that transition dynamics may reverse the free-rider problem in the case of energy sectors, specifically from strategic national standpoints which are not short-term.


 * 2022
 * June – An analysis of city planning policies of 25 cities suggest that, "despite common policy rhetoric endorsing healthy and sustainable cities, there was a paucity of measurable policy targets in place to achieve these aspirations".
 * June – A systematic review aggregates 530 policy proposals from the degrowth literature, divided into 13 policy themes, and assesses their overall precision, frequency, quality, and diversity.


 * 2023
 * January – A paywalled meta-analysis reports "required technology-level investment shifts for climate-relevant infrastructure until 2035" within the EU, which it finds to be "most drastic for power plants, electricity grids and rail infrastructure", ~87€ billion above the planned budgets and in need of sustainable finance policies.
 * February – A study integrates policy as an aspect into an integrated assessment model, showing that Powering Past Coal Alliance-based (from COP23) coal phase-out is highly unlikely (<5%) with current policies where both coal-use would substantially only shift from power to other industries (steel, cement, and chemicals) and China will now potentially "dangerously delay" the phase-out.
 * Feburary – A study suggests incentives and regulations are needed for producers to design solar panels that can be more easily recycled, devising a recycling scheme proposal.
 * March – The final synthesis of the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report is published. It summarises the state of knowledge relating to climate change with assessed levels of confidence. Conclusions in the summary for contemporary policy-makers include that the extent to which both current and future generations will be impacted depends on choices now and in the near-term, with "high confidence" that policies implemented by the end of 2020 are "projected to result in higher global GHG emissions in 2030 than emissions implied by NDCs" and would fail to meet global climate goals.
 * April – A policy study identifies reduction of car travel activity as the most important transportation policy option in reducing GHG emissions to levels comparable to carbon budget levels, with a "decrease car distance driven and car ownership by over 80% as compared to current levels" by 2027 being effective in "edging close to the designated carbon budget" in their case-study of London and electrification being highly insufficient. On 20 April, an international study indicates that the contemporary domestic policy-proposal of a general speed limit on highways in Germany, the only large country in the world without such, for a quick GHG emissions reduction would also be economically beneficial. It points to a climate change mitigation law (KSG) that mandated emission reductions in this sector that was changed in 2023 so as to remove these obligations.
 * June – A small team of researchers evaluates the credibility of net-zero climate targets as currently low.


 * 2024
 * February – A study analyzes funding sources and activities of two prominent academic centers delineates animal agriculture industry entrenchment in academia through support of industry-supported research and policy advocacy amid potential unfavorable policies.

Policies in society

 * 2021
 * April – A study proposes "redistributing the national carbon pricing revenues domestically as an equal-per-capita climate dividend".
 * June – Academics argue that climate policy models need to reflect social realities and possibilities as they are built on "an oversimplified logic: that people are rational optimizers of scarce resources".
 * October – A multilevel approach to examining climate policy support concludes anticipated policy impacts predicted policy support more strongly than perceived climate risks.


 * 2022
 * February – A study models the coupled feedback processes (including potential mitigation tipping points) that may shape the trajectory of global greenhouse gas emissions over the century in the contemporary socioeconomic system if it stays as is. Broad factor-domains of the "coupled climate–social system" include public perceptions of climate change, future mitigation technologies' characteristics, and the responsiveness of political institutions.
 * August – Researchers introduce the concept of 'false social reality' and substantiate it by showing that (a sample of) Americans widely underestimate general public support for climate change mitigation policies by a large margin.


 * 2023
 * March – A study concludes that "the public has more-positive attitudes towards [fossil fuel] subsidy removal if optimal use of the saved fiscal revenues is specified".
 * July – A study suggests that carbon taxation approaches or instruments would be more effective and fairer when distinguishing between luxury- and basic goods and services. A separate study finds that for energy demand reduction (EDR), "capping energy use of the top quintile of consumers" would be effective, more equitable, and increase public acceptance of transformative climate action in Europe.
 * July – An analysis of the efficacy of the Rotterdam Convention in curbing illegal trade of highly hazardous chemicals shows that large-scale trade of chemicals like tetraethyllead continues.

Space policy

 * 2021
 * November – A study reports that, as plans for space exploration and commercial use expand rapidly, planetary biosecurity protocols should be substantially enhanced with sophisticated protocols – beyond goals and recommendations – being "required to prevent biological contamination of extraterrestrial environments from Earth and vice versa".


 * 2022
 * April – Scientists suggest in a study that space governance of satellites/space debris should regulate the current free externalization of true costs and risks, with orbital space around the Earth being an "additional ecosystem" which should be subject to regulations as e.g. oceans on Earth.


 * October – Researchers report recommendations concerning potential geopolitical implications of potential future information about or from extraterrestrial intelligence.

Security studies
Studies from the fields of security studies about policies.
 * Early 2020s – Studies investigate potential pandemic prevention policies,  with experts also discussing potential policies concerned with biosafety.
 * A study indicates consumer protection-related validation and quality control for a set of advanced sports supplements such as Dynamine is insufficient, finding most of the tested products either did not contain a detectable amount of the labeled ingredient or substantially deviated from the declared dosage.

Health policy
Health policy studies that are not substantially related to environmental issues or mainly about security.


 * 2020
 * March – A study reviews social policy experiments to improve health.


 * 2021
 * January – A study reviews tobacco control policies worldwide.
 * April – A study reviews policies – such as targeted taxes or subsidies for truly healthy foods – to reduce ultra-processed food consumption and promote healthier eating.


 * May – Psychiatrists report that in drug liberalization "more genuine and sounder reform concepts are needed" to "genuinely move 'drug use' from a crime to a public health issue" and that such would "require consideration of legalization and regulation frameworks".


 * June – Influence of "vested corporate interests on the activities of the World Health Organization and UN bodies" is investigated, with a study exploring "how ultra-processed food industry actors have attempted to influence [non-communicable disease] policy at WHO".


 * November – An analysis of 194 countries concludes that aggregate policy score mean implementation of WHO-recommended population-level policies against non-communicable diseases had increased only slowly – from 39% in 2015 to 47% in 2020 – and had reversed for a third of all policies, with implementation lowest for policies relating to alcohol, tobacco, and unhealthy foods.


 * November – Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a meta-analysis investigates and compares the efficacy of public health COVID-19 mitigation policies.


 * 2022
 * August – An expert survey study indicates there may be substantial difference in drug policy and "professional beliefs about psychoactive drugs among psychiatrists".


 * 2023
 * March – A report projects more than half of the population will be obese within 12 years, assessing the situations in 187 countries, including their obesity prevention policies commitment.
 * March – A series of studies and a WHO fact sheet robustify the recent concept of "commercial determinants of health" suggesting "transnational corporations", facilitated by economic and governance systems and a "shift towards market fundamentalism", are responsible for escalating rates of avoidable ill health, planetary damage, and social and health inequity". It concludes that while policy-related capacities "have been impoverished and disempowered or captured by commercial interests", "many policy solutions [to some degree of adoptability] are available [but are] not being implemented".


 * 2024
 * January – An analysis of sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) taxes concludes scaling them could yield substantial public health benefits.
 * March – An analysis of Outer London's Mini-Hollands active transport infrastructures indicates Low Traffic Neighbourhoods are highly effective and cost-efficient measures in terms of health economic benefits.
 * March – A study outlines identified ecological pandemic prevention measures for policy frameworks.

General and other

 * 2020
 * May – A study presents a new approach to innovation policy "in which the state is not only fixing markets but actively co-creating them", concluding i.a. that policies "that explicitly take into consideration the risk-taking entrepreneurial role of the state, can positively affect reward distributions and favor more equitable public–private partnerships".


 * 2021
 * June – A study introduces a typology of identified strategies used by industries to maximise the volume, credibility, reach, and use of industry-favourable science.
 * August – A study illustrates "how the fossil fuel industry has funded biased economic analyses to oppose climate policy".
 * October – Researchers release a "policy sequencing" framework, in particular for policies of polycentric governance for completely halting and preventing deforestation based on data about already implemented government-designed policies, UN-decided REDD+ initiatives and voluntary private sector initiatives of recent deforestation interventions.


 * 2022
 * 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine: Scientists warn that policy-makers should not abandon sustainable farming practices to increase grain production in response to resulting food insecurity, but change "the demand side which can lead to both a more resilient and more sustainable global food system" – such as limiting the import of animal feed – and e.g. expanding wheat production in high-productivity areas (March). A researcher outlined a number of possible major policy-based actions that could mitigate the energy and resource crises caused or exacerbated by the war (June). In a study, researchers argue that "expansion of the natural gas infrastructure [in Europe in response to the Russian invasion] hinders a renewable energy future and is no bridge technology".


 * March – Wicked Problems in Public Policy is published. In the book, a researcher provides analysis and reflection about solving complex and wicked problems in terms of solution-contributions of research and analysis and approaches to solving them have developed along/within society in recent years. One chapter highlights a problem of evidence-based policy approaches that "Evidence and expertise are mobilised selectively by policy actors to influence the perceived credibility of their own favoured policy options".


 * August – A meta-analysis of policy studies concludes that international treaties that aim to foster global cooperation have mostly failed to produce their intended effects in addressing global challenges, with the exception of international trade and finance regulations. The study suggests enforcement mechanisms are the "only modifiable treaty design choice" with the potential to improve the effectiveness.


 * 2023
 * A study, alongside related reports, concludes "Russia's role as a major player in the global nuclear power sector has remained largely below the [Russian invasion of Ukraine related] sanctions radar". A study that uses ICIJ data to investigate offshore networks of oligarchs, suggests sanctioning of professional intermediary wealth managers.

Financial policies
Policies relating to anti-money laundering, tax-evasion/tax havens, sourcing of finances for policies and similar topics or fields.
 * 2020
 * February – A study concludes that "anti-money laundering policy intervention has less than 0.1 percent impact on criminal finances, compliance costs exceed recovered criminal funds more than a hundred times over, and banks, taxpayers and ordinary citizens are penalized more than criminal enterprises". It suggests "The 'success rate' of Europe's anti-money laundering effort is puny. Likewise, globally."

Research and development, organization and coordination
Research and development relating to policy-making or policy analysis as well as associated organizations or coordination.


 * 2021
 * March – The Decarbonisation Policy Evaluation Tool, an online interface that systematically synthesizes "in an easily searchable manner what is known – and what is not known – about the impact of different policies used to accelerate low-carbon energy transitions on a set of seven performance indicators", is introduced in a study. The study summarizes findings about outcomes and trade-offs of ten types of decarbonization policy instruments, suggesting that policies "can be designed and balanced to benefit local firms and lower-income families".
 * August – A study concludes that personal carbon allowances (PCAs) could be a component of climate change mitigation adn suggest that that the economic recovery from COVID-19 and novel digital technology capacities open a window of opportunity for first trial implementations in climate-conscious technologically advanced countries. PCAs would consist of – e.g. monetary – credit-feedbacks and decreasing default levels – aligned with calculated regional maximum emissions for emission-target achievement – of per capita emissions allowances.


 * 2022
 * November – Researchers develop falsity scores for over 800 contemporary elites on Twitter and associated exposure scores.


 * 2023
 * February – A study reports that rationing has been neglected as a policy option for mitigating climate change, and, partly based on historical data and economic analysis, concludes that such personal carbon allowances (PCAs) could help states reduce emissions rapidly and fairly. It suggests built-in fair shares mechanisms would be a key part of two-currency PCA economics and that carbon taxes-only economics would not have effects that are as quick and equitable, with their fairness issues potentially including disproportionate impacts on low-income populations (or intensified economic inequality in general). There could be 'carbon cards' for all-encompassing CAs (e.g. using life-cycle assessment for all supermarket items ) or per-capita rationing of (scientifically) selected goods such as meat, flights, and fossil fuels to adapt to the scarce (physically limited) carbon budget available to meet goals. PCAs could also help address other issues such as the energy crisis and viably accelerate sustainability transitions of domains ranging from lifestyles to investments but may require smaller initial steps than an entire-population-national rationing implementation.

Science–policy interface

 * 2020s
 * The structured debate and argument mapping platform Kialo increasingly becomes a subject of research and development in the context of public deliberation and policy-making.


 * 2021
 * February – Scientists argue that there is a need for a "global science-policy body on chemicals and waste".
 * June – A study identifies 14 strategies to building trust at the interface of environmental science and policy and suggest that such is a "critical pre-condition for achieving evidence-informed policy".


 * 2022
 * May – A review concludes that, like in 2015, pollution (¾ from air pollution) was responsible for 9 million premature deaths in 2019 (one in six deaths). It concludes that little real progress against pollution can be identified and outlines needs for attention and action such as a "formal science–policy interface" (PSI).