Post on 18-May-2015
description
Science & policy? An aquatic scientist’s perspective
Linda CampbellSenior Research Fellow in Environmental Science
Ecojustice, Sept 20, 2013Toronto, Canada
Scientists typically do not get involved with policy & legislation.
As a result, there is a real need for clear communication of good science…
…in order for the right people to develop good policy and effective legal structures…
… and for environmental lawyers so they have good information for their job.
http://evelyntagbo.blogspot.ca/2012/12/a‐fatal‐gap‐between‐science‐and‐policy.html
Canadian successes:Two freshwater case studies
Mercury science in Canada(driven by policy makers)
Phosphorus & eutrophication in lakes(driven by scientists)
Mercury: a known toxic chemical for 1000’s of years
http://masters‐of‐photography.com/images/full/smith/smith_minimata.jpg
W. Eugene SmithTomoko Uemura in Her BathMinamata, 1972
5
Environment Canada CARA Mercury Science Program
• Actions to reduce emissions of key air pollutants.
• Driven by Env. Can. policy developers.
• Funding of science to inform policy recommendations.
Ecological risk using fish as biomonitors
Modelled mercury concentrations in yellow perch
Modelled mercury concentrations in walleye
Depew DC Burgess NM & Campbell LM. Environmental Pollution (accepted)
Jan 23 2013:Canada agrees to UN Mercury Treaty
w.unep.org/hazardoussubstances/Mercury/Negotiations/INC5/INC5PressReleases/tabid/106835/Default.aspx
Mr Lovenstein; http://www.mrlovenstein.com/comic/354#comic
Intermission
This is why good policy developers and lawyers are needed….
Lake Erie is “dead”?
http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2005/s2427.htmhttp://greatlakeslessons.com/mod/page/view.php?id=158
Case study 2: Experimental Lakes Area(From Science, 2008)
How was phosphorus identified as the culprit
nutrient?
http://www.responsiblepurchasing.org/purchasing_guides/cleaners/social_environ/http://sevenhillslake.com/technical.html
What did the scientists do?
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/earth/scientists‐protest‐lakes.html
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2010/10/15/f‐david‐schindler.html
• Communicate, communicate,communicate.
• Communicate again!• Became advocates.• Testified at state,
provincial & federal panels.
• Testified at US court cases.
• (Many of them became so good at this, they are still advocating 40 + years later)
What did the governments do?
• International Joint Commission: Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA), 1972, renewed & amended regularly.
• Canada‐Ontario Agreement regarding the Great Lakes
• Lakewide Management Plans by all involved US and Canada agencies (federal, state & prov).
• Municipality regulations on sewage and runoff
sembassy.gov/news‐events/2012‐news‐and‐events/september‐2012/7‐september‐2012‐united‐states‐and‐canada‐sign‐amended‐great‐lakes‐water‐quality‐agreement.html
Did phosphorus reductions work?Yes.
But….
• Invasive mussels• Changes in form of
phosphorus• Increased agriculture
pressures• Climate change
2011 Algal bloom
http://evelyntagbo.blogspot.ca/2012/12/a‐fatal‐gap‐between‐science‐and‐policy.html
Science & environmental policy• Good policy demands good science.
• Communication is key.• Legislation often driven by negative situations.
• Environmental law often difficult due to contradictory interpretations of science & impact.
• Need objective science perspectives.
Can be challenging for scientists to reach out
beyond science• Incentives limited.• A lot of work! • Must find science‐policy nexus, rounding up the right people at the right time, and follow up. (good summary by COMPASS linked below).
• Can be very unrewarding especially if scientist regarded as pushy and intrusive – (as what happened to the ELA scientists)– Need the right framework & supportive network.
compassblogs.org/blog/2013/09/16/navigators/; Smith B. (2013) COMPASS: Navigating the Rules of Scientific Engagement. PLoS Biol 11(4): e1001552. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.1001552
Should scientists get involved?
• Depends on who you ask.• But research stations closed, libraries closed, funding shifted to industrial & business foci.
• So scientists are learning…• Sept 16 #StandUp4Sci rallies organized by Evidence for Democracy in 17 cities across Canada.
• BUT is protesting an effective means of influencing policy?
Timeline: http://scienceblogs.com/confessions/2013/05/20/the‐canadian‐war‐on‐science‐a‐long‐unexaggerated‐devastating‐chronological‐indictmEvidence for Democracy: https://evidencefordemocracy.ca/
Lessons learned by scientists involved in @SaveELA
campaign.1. “Not only our role but our responsibility as scientists
to advocate for science in the public domain”2. “some necessary tools were missing from our toolkit.
For example we had to research the democratic options” for lobbying and media communication.
3. “Effective communication is key to getting a message to resonate with the public”, including distilling complex scientific concepts.
4. “We realized that professional connections within the scientific community was not, by themselves, adequate for this work.”
5. “We learned to take ownership of past mistakes”
Limnology and Oceanography Bulletin 22(3):76‐78. (I can send a PDF copy by email)
Some useful resources:• Canadian Science Policy Centre: http://sciencepolicy.ca/
• Science Media Centre of Canada: http://www.sciencemediacentre.ca/smc/
• Banff Science Communication Workshop (2 week immersive program): http://www.banffscience.ca/
Advocacy v.s. timely policy development?