Scientists in Multilateral Diplomacy. The case of the Members of the IPCC Bureau

Scientific experts have become structuring actors in global environmental governance.They have put environmental problems on the agenda, facilitated the establishmentof multilateral agreements, and continue to provide the information to supportinternational policymaking. This paper, drawing on the literature on transnationalprofessionals, introduces the notion of ‘transnational diplomat-scientists’ to describea group of influential scientific experts that has risen to considerable power andincreasingly acts as diplomatic actors in environmental agreement-making processes.Through qualitative methods and visual network analysis, we explore the case of theipcc Bureau members and discuss the professional profiles and multipositionality ofits members for the sixth assessment cycle (2015–2023). Strategically positioned at thescience-policy interface, these actors connect different disciplines and stakeholders atdifferent levels. Through such a positioning and their capacity to manage expectationsand facilitate compromises, diplomat-scientists play a crucial role in upholding theauthority of science in multilateral negotiations.