International journal Nature has quoted Transforming Evidence work on what works to promote research policy engagement in considering a global survey of researchers and policymakers, nearly 80% of whom rated their country’s science-advice system as being patchy, poor or very poor.
The article in Nature is titled Science could solve some of the world’s biggest problems. Why aren’t governments using it? and is backed up by an editorial which concludes that advising governments about science is essential but difficult, so train people to do it.
78% of respondents to Nature’s survey said that science advisers lack influence in government and 68% felt that governments lack the relevant research to answer policy questions. Kathryn Oliver, Transforming Evidence co-founder, is quoted saying “I don’t think any country has got it right, and I don’t know what right would look like”. Nature notes the formal systems which many countries have to inform policy with research, and the opportunities for scientists and knowledge brokers to develop communication skills and to understand how governments work.
Nature notes the formal systems which many countries have to inform policy with research, and the opportunities for scientists and knowledge brokers to develop communication skills and to understand how governments work.
The editorial also comments “It has been nearly five years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, during which many scientists had difficulty giving governments advice and politicians struggled to implement it. And yet, it seems that only a few countries have stopped to make repairs. Governments today are wrestling with climate change, infectious diseases, artificial intelligence and wars. To address these issues effectively, they need knowledge from research. More than 70% of survey respondents said that misinformation and disinformation obscure science advice.”
The article is a thoughtful examination of issues ranging from the impermanence of relationships as governments change to the need for science advisors to grapple with AI.
The 2022 Transforming Evidence work quoted showed that of 1,900 initiatives worldwide aimed at promoting greater engagement between policymakers and researchers only 6% had been evaluated to assess how well they worked. We continue to champion the need for efforts to support governments to use science to be informed by evidence.
