Governance at the speed of light! GLOBAL GOVERNANCE POLICY SERIES
The role and future of Science in Government Decision Making and International Policy Formation
Keywords: Sustainability> international policy formation> scientific cooperation> emerging technologies> climate change> nanotechnology> biotechnology> nuclear weapons.
25 MINUTES
2 GOLD MERCURY INTERNATIONAL Governance at the speed of light!
Introduction As science develops and plays a larger role in the development of national and international society, it will also play an increasing role in policy consideration on all levels. This consideration will in turn become increasingly complex as the ramifications of decisions on and associated with science will inevitably deal with increasing numbers of factors and have “One of the most bizarre features of any advanced industrial society in our time is that the cardinal choices have to be made by a handful of men in secret, and at least in a legal form by men who cannot have a first hand knowledge of what these choices depend upon or what their results may be. “ C.P. Show, “Science and Government”, 1960.
greater consequences. Currently science plays a dual role in the creation and influence of policy. Firstly, it advises and helps shape policy from within policy creation systems. Secondly, it does this as an independent entity. As scientific advances become more complex and advanced, they demand policy responses as a factor in the creation of new social issues. Thirdly, as science and the field of science interact with external developments they change form and purpose, and thus create new relationships and purposes that demand policy responses or alterations. Thus this article is split into two sections. The first is a consideration of the role of science as a tool in the process of policy formation in a democratic society. The basic principles and pitfalls are described and considered in a largely proscriptive manner. The second is a consideration of how, at a foundational level, advances in science and changes in the shape of the field are in the process of creating new social issues and regulatory spaces, given that the current legislative frameworks to regulate the impact of science on societies, both nationally and internationally, is inadequate.
3 GOLD MERCURY INTERNATIONAL Governance at the speed of light!
Science in Policy Making
Science in the Policy and Decision making process Developments in science are increasingly complex and now have the potential to be linked to usages in an increasing number of areas with ever more widespread effect. Due to concurrent processes such as globalisation, this in turn means that scientific developments and the decisions made around them will touch the lives and have consequences for an increasing number of people. With the transition to a knowledge economy science is set to play an increasing role in the development and the shape of societies and as such must form a vital part of the policy making process (‘Excellence and Opportunity: A Trade and Innovation Policy for the 21st Century’, Department of Trade and Industry, 2000). However to be used as an effective tool in the policy formation process there are certain prerequisites that must be considered. Firstly, there must be the potential for good quality knowledge to enter and pass through the systems to decision makers. Secondly, the formats and processes through which the knowledge was created and processed must reflect the key components of the systems into which it is being translated. Thirdly, the knowledge must be able to be considered by the decision makers and must fit into the mould of a tool of decision making.
4 GOLD MERCURY INTERNATIONAL Governance at the speed of light!
THE ROLE OF SCIENCE IN GOVERNMENT DECISION MAKING Government Decision Balance, considering significant factors and all interests
Decision Making Body
Protocols against undue influence
Effective and considered transfer of knowledge in inclusive, balanced and usable form
Senior Scientific Advisory Committees
Other factors
Area specific tending toward more urgent advice with independence mechanisms
Public Opinion International Agenda
Scientific Advisory Committees
Industry
Area Specific with independence mechanisms
Scientific Advisory Committees Lowest level area specific bodies with independence mechanisms
Consideration of various opinions
Systems in all democratic societies are different, but there are certain conditions that ought to be followed for the legitimate use of scientific information in policy. Research that will be used in policy must be unbiased and conducted as transparently as possible, and although it can be funded by third parties, this influence must not affect
the bias of the research. As knowledge is transferred to advisory committees many different opinions must be sought to provide the best advice possible. There may be different advisory groups for different areas, but all must maintain independence and adhere to democratic principles such as transparency, openness
Other Interested Groups Protocols against undue influence
Scientific Infrastructure Including quality control mechanisms and the provision for the independence of research
and accountability in order to legitimise their position in the democratic process. To ensure an integrated advice network considering science’s effects across themes, these groups must also maintain as much communication between themselves and third parties, as well as consider the opinions of
Protocols against undue influence
interested third parties. When information is finally passed to a decision maker, it must be passed in terms that can be understood and put in context considering the fact that the decision maker is probably not a scientist and that there are many factors against which it must be balanced in democratic policy making.