Evidence-based policy

versus policy-biased evidence:

the challenge of feeding

scientific advice into policy-making

science

knowledge

innovation

economy

society

policy-making

decisions

trust

dialogue

advice

values

independenceintegrity

transparency

response

risks

crises

solutions

debateunderstanding

legislation

factsuncertainties

ethics

industry

foresight

evidence

science

knowledge

innovation

economy

society

policy-making

decisions

trust

dialogue

advice

values

independenceintegrity

transparency

response

risks

crises

solutions

debate

understanding

legislation

facts

uncertainties

ethics

industry

foresight

evidence

Conclusionsofthe

High-LevelTrans-AtlanticScienceforPolicyWorkshop

co-sponsoredbythe

EuropeanCommission’sJointResearchCentre(JRC)

andthe

AmericanAssociationfortheAdvancementofScience(AAAS)

27October2009

Ispra,Italy

Evidence-based policy

versus policy-biased evidence:

the challenge of feeding

scientific advice into policy-making

©EuropeanUnion,2010

InvitedbytheEuropeanCommission’sJointResearchCentre(JRC)

andtheAmericanAssociationfortheAdvancementofScience

(AAAS),ontheoccasionofcelebratingthe50thanniversaryofthe

JRC’sIsprasite,21leadersofthescientific,policymaking,

corporateandNGOcommunitiesfrombothsidesoftheAtlantic

metinIspra(Italy)todiscusstheopportunitiesandpitfallsof

feedingscienceadviceintopolicymaking.

Thediscussionbroughttogethertheperspectivesofthe

stakeholdercommunitiesand,atthesametime,provideda

uniqueopportunitytotakestockofthescience-policyrelations

intheEUandtheUnitedStates.Thispapersummarisesthekey

discussionpointsofthemeetingandprovidesguidanceonhow

toimprovethecrucialrelationshipbetweenscienceandpolicy

thatbecomesevermoreimportantinanincreasinglycomplex,

globalisedworld.

1Disclaimer:Theopinionsexpressedinthisdocumentreflectthecollectiveviews

oftheworkshopparticipants.Thesedonotnecessarilyreflecttheopinionsofthe

participants’homeorganisations.

Summary

Science and Policy –

a message from Ispra1

Scienceisafundamentalpillarofknowledge-basedsocieties.

Scienceunderpinsinnovationandtechnologicaldevelopment,

andultimatelyprovidesbenefitstohumanity.

Thevalueofscienceincludesexpandingthefrontiersofknowledge;

thus,itshouldnotbejudgedonlyineconomicterms.

Inanevermorecomplexandglobalisedeconomyandsociety,

theimportanceofscienceadvicetopolicy-makingisgrowing.

Policymakersshouldbeprovidedwiththelatestandbest

scientificevidencetoensurebetterinformedpolicies.

Therearemanysuccessfulexamplesofhowsciencehashelped

policymakerstosolveproblems.Atthesametime,thereare

exampleswherescientificevidencehasnotbeentakenup.

Scienceisjustoneelementindecisionmaking.Policiescanbe

madepredominatelyonthebasisoffactsprovidedbyscience,but

oftentheyarebasedevenmoreonvaluesandsocialandeconomic

considerations.

1.1.

1.2.

1.3.

1.4.

1.5.

1.6.

Science and policy – a crucial relationship1.

Governmentdecisionsareultimatelypolitical.Incontrastto

scientists,electedpolicymakershavetheright(andtheduty)

tomakedecisions.

Thedialoguebetweenscienceandpolicyisnotstraightforward.

Policymakersareinterestedinscienceforpolicy,whilemany

scientiststendtobemoreinterestedinpoliciesfororsurrounding

theconductofscience.

Policymakershavemultiplesourcesofsolicitedandunsolicited

scienceadvice,thussciencedoesnotnecessarilyspeakwithone

voice.

Therelationshipbetweenscienceandpolicyisnotfreeofconflict,

inparticularwhenscientificevidenceclasheswithpoliticalpriorities

(e.g.biofuels)orwithethicalorreligiousvalues(e.g.stemcell

research,creationism).Insuchsituationsthereisariskthat

scientificadviceisdisregardedorusedinabiasedway.

1.7.

1.8.

1.9.

1.10.

Theroleofscienceinpolicymakingistoprovideknowledge,

basedoncollectiveunderstanding.Sciencehastocontribute

factsandprovideguidanceontheirrelevance.

Sciencemustbeindependentfrompoliticalinfluence.

Sciencemustmaintainitsintegrityandquality,bothscientists

individuallyandthescientificcommunityasawhole.Itis

supportedbycontinuouspeerreviewandevaluation.Science

mustbetransparentlyunbiasedtobecredibleandlegitimate.

Scientistsshouldnotbe“optimistic”or“pessimistic”,but

impartial.

Sciencemustbetransparent.Vestedinterestsofscientistsneed

tobedisclosedandconflictsofinterestavoided.

Onlybyunderstandingitsroleinsocietycanthescientific

communityberelevantforsociety.

Thereisagenuinesocietalandscientificneedformoreinter-

andmulti-disciplinaryapproaches,basedonstrongdisciplinary

foundations.

2.1.

2.2.

2.3.

2.4.

2.5.

2.6.

2.7.

What is expected from the scientific community

2.

Strongeremphasisshouldbegiventotheinclusionofsocial

sciencestoimprovetheanalysisandunderstandingofimpacts

andhowthepublicmayreactoradapt.

Thescientificcommunitymustbepreparedtoproviderapid

ad-hocinput,drawingonexistingexpertise,asthereisnotalways

thetimefortailor-madestudies.

Amajorroleofscienceinpolicymakingistoassessrisks,

includingtherisksoffuturetechnologies.

Scienceshouldcontributemoretocrisispreventionand

management.

Thescientificcommunityneedstobemoreproactivein

contributingtopolicymaking.

Scienceshouldarticulatemultiplepolicyoptionsratherthan

makingsinglerecommendationsoradvocatinganindividual

“optimalsolution”,unlessthereclearlyisonlyone.

2.8.

2.9.

2.10.

2.11.

2.12.

2.13.

Thescientificcommunityshouldenhanceitsvoice,participate

inpolicydebates,andgetbetterorganisedtoensureefficient

communication(“Speak-up–Stand-up–Gang-up”).Many

scientistsdon’twanttoget“tooclosetothefire”.Insteadof

voicingtheirconcernsaboutirrationaldiscussionsordecisions,

theyshouldtriggersocietaldebate.

Thereareestablishedchannelsforprovidingpolicyadvice–

scientistsmustlearntousethem.

Legislativebodiesareincreasinglyactingas“clients”ofresearch

–thisdialoguecanbemoredemandingthanthatwithexecutive

bodies,duetocompetingpoliticalpartiesinvolved.

Theacademicandgovernmentalscientificcommunitiesmust

engagewiththeprivatesectorandnon-governmental

organizations.

Thescientificcommunitymustengagewiththepublicinorder

toimprovetheunderstandingandpublicperceptionofscience,

especiallyatthelocallevel.Scientistsmustalsorespectand

respondtotheconcernsofthepublic.

2.14.

2.15.

2.16.

2.17.

2.18.

Thescientificcommunityhastoengagethepublicearlyabout

potentialethicalandsocietalimplicationsofscientificadvances

andemergingissues.Thereisaneedtoorganisethesedebates

acrosstheglobegiventheirfundamentalcharacter.

Scientistsshouldcommunicateinwaysthatdonotalienatepolicy

makersorthepublic.

Policymakersdonothavetimeforlonganddetailedexplanations

–thescientificcommunitymustlearntodelivershortandconcise

messages.

Scientistshavetocommunicatescientificuncertaintiesinaway

understandableforpolicymakers.

Thescientificcommunityshouldactwithauthority,butavoid

beingarrogant(“weknowthetruth”).

Scientistsmustlearntobepatientandtolistentothe

stakeholdersoftheirresearch.

2.19.

2.20.

2.21.

2.22.

2.23.

2.24.

Policymakersmusttakefactsbasedonthebestscienceinto

considerationwhendefiningpolicies.

Policymakersmustbereceptivetoscientificadvice,evenwhen

theadviceis“uncomfortable”,andinvolvescientistsinagenda

setting.

Policiesshouldevolvetoreflectchangesinscientificunder-

standing.

Policymakershavetochallengethescientificcommunityby

posingtargetedquestionsinatimelyfashion.Therequested

speedofresponsehasanimpactonthequalityoftheadvice.

Policymakersshouldincludetheprivate/corporatesectorand

civilsocietygroups/NGOsinpublicdialogueonscientificevidence.

3.1.

3.2.

3.3.

3.4.

3.5.

What is expected fromthe policy-making community

3.

Thepublicplaysacriticalroleindeterminingwhatpositions

policymakerswilltakeorsupport.Itisimportanttogainpublic

supportfortherolescienceplaysinpolicymaking.Oneavenue

istoincreasetheactiveparticipationofthelaypublicinscientific

datacollection.

Publicattentiontendstoreflectthequantityofmediacoverage–

amorepermanentprofileofscienceinpublicattentionisneeded.

Industryisthebiggestsponsorofresearchanddevelopmentand

thushastoplayakeyroleincontributingscientificinformation.

What is expected from the public,industry and interest groups

4.4.1.

4.2.

4.3.

Thescientificcommunityneedstohaveanimproved

understandingofhowpolicymakingworks(e.g.political

schedule,importanceoflobbygroupsetc.).Scientistsneedtobe

trainedinthedialoguebetweenpolicymakersandcivilsociety.

Thereisaneedtobuildtrustbetweenscientists,policymakers

andothersocietalactorsthroughalong-term,sustainedand

participatorydialogue.

Scientificadviceshouldcontributetoallstagesofthepolicy

cycle:frompolicyanticipationanddevelopmenttopolicy

implementationandevaluation.

Scientificadviceshouldtargetalllevelsofpolicymakingand

spantherangeofthematicareas.

Amajorchallengeliesinthefactthatscientiststendtothink

long-termwhilepolicymakersoftentendtothinkinshort-term

categories(electioncycles).Atthesametime,mostpolicymakers

carefortheirspecificconstituencies,whilescientistsarenot

confinedbytheseboundariesasscienceasawholespansall

spatialandtemporalscales.Thesegapsneedtobeacknowledged

inthescience-policyinteraction.

5.1.

5.2.

5.3.

5.4.

5.5.

Needs, challenges and opportunities5.

Anothermajorchallengeisthatpolicymaking,duetothe

manystakeholdersinvolved,oftenreactsslowlytothespeed

ofscientificdevelopment(e.g.inthefieldofgenetics),while

sometimestheprovisionofrobustscientificadvicecannotcope

withthespeedofpolicymaking.

Therearemanysuccessstoriesandbestpracticesofscience

advicetopolicymakingthatshouldbedisseminated–theIPCC

andtheMillenniumEcosystemAssessmentaregoodexamples.

Thesamereferstothemainstreamingofscientificissuesinpublic

debate.Lessonsneedtobelearntfrombothsuccessfuland

unsuccessfulscience-policyinteractions.Thesocialsciencescan

contributeextensivelytotheseanalyses.

Thereisaneedtodevelopappropriateindicatorsandsimilar

metricstomeasurethesuccessfulinclusionofscientificadvicein

policymaking.

Thereisaneedformorehorizonscanning,bothintermsof

scientificforesightandpolicyanticipation.

Handlingminorityscientificopinionsisachallenge.Infact,all

paradigmshiftsatsomestagehavebeenstartedbyoutsidersbefore

becomingmainstream.Therefore,therealsoshouldbeamechanism

totakecredibledissentintoconsiderationinameaningfulway.

5.6.

5.7.

5.8.

5.9.

5.10.

Notwithstandingtheabove,thereisaneedto“streamline”

scientificadvicetobemoreefficientandeffectiveandincorporate

thebestofglobalscience,whileacceptingthatscienceoftendoes

nothaveaconsensusanswer.

Scientistsingovernmentandparliament,e.g.astemporary

fellows,canplayaninvaluableroleinbridgingthescience-policy

interface.

Aspectsofriskanduncertaintyareparticularlycomplexand

difficult.Sciencemustthusplayakeyroleinthepublicdebate

aboutacceptablerisksforsocietyandscience-basedthresholds.

Theroleofsocialscienceiscrucialinthisinteraction.Likewise,

scienceshouldprovideadviceonthecostsandbenefitsofaction

orinaction.

Allpartiesinvolvedinthesocietaldialogue(policymakers,

scientists,industry,andcivilsocietyrepresentatives)must

abstainfromcreatingunnecessaryorexaggerated“angst”

asameanstogetsupportfortheiropinionsandactions.

Policymakersneedtobetterunderstandhowtophrasequestions

toscientists.

5.11.

5.12.

5.13.

5.14.

5.15.

Thereisaneedforabettereducatedpublictosupportmeaningful

participationinthescientific/politicaldebate.

Inanevermorecomplexworld,solutionstendtobemorecomplex

–thereisthustheneedtohaveadiscussiononhowmuch

simplificationisacceptable.

Thereisaneedforinstitutionsthatcanserveas“brokers”and

“interpreters”betweenthescienceandpolicyarenas.

Differentinputmechanismsforprovidingscientificinputtopolicy

makingshouldbeassessedfortheireffectiveness.

AlltheissuesoutlinedaboveshouldplayalargerroleinEU-U.S.

cooperation.Thereisastrongneedtoshareexperiences(and

data,models,etc.)andtolearnfromeachother.

Globalchallengesneedglobalanswers.Itisthereforeofutmost

importancetojoineffortsgloballytoprovidethebestpossible

scientificadvicefortheincreasinglycooperativeglobalresponse

tothesechallenges.

5.16.

5.17.

5.18.

5.19.

5.20.

5.21.

1. Dr.RichardBissellHeadofPolicy&GlobalAffairs,U.S.NationalAcademyofSciences

2. MPColinChallenChairoftheAll-PartyCommitteeonClimateChange,Houseof

Commons,UK

3. ProfessorPatrickCunninghamChiefScientificAdvisertotheIrishGovernment

4. Dr.EneErgmaSpeakeroftheEstonianParliament

5. Dr.DavidGoldstonDirectorofGovernmentAffairs,NaturalResourcesDefenseCouncil

6. Dr.KlausGretschmannDirector-GeneralforCompetitiveness,Research,Industry,Internal

Market,Energy,InfoSocietyandTransport,EuropeanCouncil

7. Dr.Hans-OlafHenkelFormerPresidentoftheAssociationofGermanIndustry

8. ProfessorLeenHordijkDirector,JRCInstituteforEnvironmentandSustainability

9. Dr.PaulJohnstonHeadofScience,Greenpeace

10. Dr.AlanLeshnerCEO,AAAS,andExecutivePublisher,Science

11. Dr.RobertMadelinDirector-General,EuropeanCommission,DGHealthandConsumers

12. ProfessorMarjaMakarowChiefExecutiveOfficer,EuropeanScienceFoundation

Participant List

13. Dr.StefanMarcinowskiMemberoftheBoardofExecutiveDirectors,BASF

14. ProfessorJacquelineMcGladeExecutiveDirector,EuropeanEnvironmentAgency

15. Dr.NormanNeureiterSeniorAdviser,CenterforScience,Technology&SecurityPolicy,AAAS

16. Dr.KerstinNiblaeusAdvisertotheMinistryoftheEnvironment,Sweden

17. ProfessorVittorioProdiMemberoftheEuropeanParliament

18. Dr.RolandSchenkelDirector-General,EuropeanCommission,JRC

19. ProfessorEugeneSkolnikoffProfessorEmeritusofPoliticalScience,MassachusettsInstitute

ofTechnology(MIT)

20. Dr.AlTeichDirectorofScience&PolicyPrograms,AAAS

21.Dr.JohnVassalloVice-PresidentforEuropeanAffairs,Microsoft

Rapporteurs

22. Dr.JanMarcoMüllerAssistanttotheDirector-General,JRC

23. Dr.TomWangDirectorforInternationalCooperation,AAAS

Back row, from left to right:Dr. Jan Marco Müller, Dr. Richard Bissell, Dr. Stefan Marcinowski, Dr. Paul Johnston, Mr. Colin Challen, Professor Leen Hordijk

Middle row, from left to right:Dr. Hans-Olaf Henkel, Dr. Klaus Gretschmann, Dr. Tom Wang, Mr. Robert Madelin, Professor Patrick Cunningham, Dr. Norman P. Neureiter, Dr. John Vassallo, Dr. Eugene B. Skolnikoff

Front row, from left to right:Dr. Kerstin Niblaeus, Professor Vittorio Prodi, Dr. Jacqueline McGlade, Dr. Ene Ergma, Dr. Alan Leshner, Dr. Roland Schenkel, Dr. David Goldston, Dr. Al Teich, Professor Marja Makarow

Participants of the Trans-Atlantic Science for Policy workshop.

science

knowledge

innovation

economy

society

policy-making

decisions

trust

dialogue

advice

values

independenceintegrity

transparency

response

risks

crises

solutions

debate

understanding

legislation

facts

uncertainties

ethics

industry

foresight

evidence

JointResearchCentre

ThemissionoftheJRCistoprovidecustomer-drivenscientificand

technicalsupportfortheconception,development,implementation

andmonitoringofEUpolicies.AsaserviceoftheEuropeanCommis-

sion,theJRCfunctionsasareferencecentreofscienceandtechno-

logyfortheUnion.Closetothepolicy-makingprocess,itservesthe

commoninterestoftheMemberStates,whilebeingindependentof

specialinterests,whetherprivateornational.

www.jrc.ec.europa.eu

AAAS

The American Association for the Advancement of Science, “Triple

A-S” (AAAS), is an international non-profit organization dedicated

toadvancingsciencearound theworldbyservingasaneducator,

leader, spokesperson and professional association. In addition to

organizing membership activities, AAAS publishes the journal Sci-

ence,aswellasmanyscientificnewsletters,booksandreports,and

spearheadsprogramsthatraisethebarofunderstandingforscience

worldwide.

Founded in 1848, AAAS serves some 262 affiliated societies and

academiesofscience,serving10millionindividuals.Sciencehasthe

largestpaidcirculationofanypeer-reviewedgeneralsciencejournal

intheworld,withanestimatedtotalreadershipofonemillion.

www.aaas.org