Scientific input and the policy process: The case of atmospheric pollution

Background/Question/Methods

Scientific information can and should play an important role in the process of environmental policy development and implementation.   Both individual scientists’ and the institutions they work for play important roles in how and whether science affects the policy process.  There are, however, cultural and procedural barriers that restrict the exchange of information between the scientific community and decision makers.  For example, real and perceived incongruence in timing between the pace of scientific discovery and policy development often reinforces the belief that science cannot realistically be integrated into the policy process.  Moreover, at the interpersonal level, scientists have limited time, opportunities, or in many cases incentive to work with decision makers on specific environmental issues.  Finally, from the public’s perspective, many of today’s environmental issues are subtle and complex and thus require more explanation and understanding of the scientific process and the concept of uncertainty.  In this presentation we outline some of the challenges and then propose several solutions to overcome the barriers that restrict the exchange of knowledge and information between the scientific community and decision makers.  These solutions emanate from our experience working with atmospheric pollution research and policy such as those measures to control acid deposition and protect human health in the Clean Air Act. 

Results/Conclusions

Contrary to the common belief that policymaking operates in tandem with electoral cycles or with current scientific information, the policymaking process has no defined timeframe or cycle, and there is no way to predict the timing of decisive action on an issue.  Therefore, the policy process is multifaceted and non-linear, involving a broad set of actors and forces, both inside and outside of government, that interact in complex and varied ways in the making of any policy decision, all of which can play out over periods of years to decades.  Scientific information and the scientific community can play critically important roles in several parts of the policy process, including issue identification and problem definition, development of alternative policies, monitoring and evaluation during policy implementation, and feedback into the ongoing policy process.  These interventions can occur at the level of both the institution and individual scientist, for which we present several examples.