Promoting the dialogue between scientists and humanitarians

This paper provides an overview of findings from a series of more than 40 interviews
with a broad range of scientists and humanitarian policy makers and analysts. Carried out
between May to July 2007, these interviews were conducted within the Humanitarian
Futures Group’s efforts to promote dialogue on issues of future human vulnerability
using a scenario development exercise.

The interview questions sought to identify factors that would increase human
vulnerability to crisis threats, pinpoint innovative tools, technologies and approaches for
strengthening preparedness for future humanitarian crises, and assess ways to strengthen
the dialogue between scientists and humanitarian policy makers.