policy evidence: feeding - European Commission · There is a need to develop appropriate indicators...
Transcript of policy evidence: feeding - European Commission · There is a need to develop appropriate indicators...
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