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RIGS - Research on Interdisciplinary Global Studies

Spring 2024 Student Policy Brief Competition on Climate Justice

Posted in: Events

image of people building a shelter on water in Bangladesh. Credit The Bartlett Development Planning Unit

Are you eager to fuel social and political change? Is the current climate crisis pushing you to seek practical solutions?

We have an answer to those questions for you:

Our Spring 2024 Student Policy Brief Competition on Climate Justice

The theme: “Climate Justice: Policies for a Sustainable and Equitable Future”

Join your peers in brainstorming ideas and crafting practical solutions to pressing issues and win a $200 prize!

How do I participate?

It is simple and here is how: Draw from one of several climate justice events listed below (all the events were organized over the past academic year) by accessing our archival recordings using the web links. After viewing one or several of the materials, choose a specific issue addressed during these discussions and write your policy brief.

List of climate justice events for Spring 2024 student policy brief competition:

Your policy brief should be concise (about 1,200-1,500 words), drawing on the following guidelines.

The objective of a policy brief

Policy briefs are essential instruments for conveying research findings and suggestions to an audience without specialized knowledge. They act as a means to offer evidence-driven policy guidance, aiding readers in making well-informed choices.

An effective policy brief simplifies research discoveries using easy-to-understand language and establishes evident connections to policy endeavors. Strong policy briefs are self-contained, straightforward documents that concentrate on a singular subject.

Policy Brief Structure

  • Executive summary: it is key to start a policy brief with a summary and overview of the issue(s). It is best to write this part last.
  • Context and problem statement: This section is significant within the brief as it provides the reader with the rationale behind your policy suggestions. Essentially, this it delineates the issue that your policy recommendations aim to address.
  • Analysis and discussion: This part of your brief should examine and discuss the data in a manner that is easily understandable and distinctly linked to your policy advice.
  • Conclusion and/or recommendation: In your final section you should offer concise advice on how to address the issue(s) from a policy perspective, providing recommendations to lawmakers and decision makers.

Application submission

Please email your policy brief as a pdf file to rigs@montclair.edu by the deadline, Friday, June 14, 2024, including the subject line “Spring 2024 Student Policy Brief Competition on Climate Justice”

NOTE: Papers need to be authored and written by those submitting the work. The use of artificial intelligence tools is forbidden and is a disqualifying factor.

Where can I find additional resources to further delve into the policy brief writing process?

A number of additional website provide helpful ideas when engaging in policy analysis and policy brief writing: