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Do we listen enough? When does a policy maker listen to science? A personal reflection

Do we listen enough? When does a policy maker listen to science? A personal reflection ACCENT Workshop, Gothenburg, 27-28 October 2004 André Zuber European Commission DG Environment, Unit C1. When does a policy maker listen?. Urgent issues catastrophs, top down view

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Do we listen enough? When does a policy maker listen to science? A personal reflection

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  1. Do we listen enough? When does a policy maker listen to science? A personal reflection ACCENT Workshop, Gothenburg, 27-28 October 2004 André Zuber European Commission DG Environment, Unit C1

  2. When does a policy maker listen? • Urgent issues catastrophs, top down view • ozone hole, flooding, BSE • Name and shame –media attention • Financial Times, bathing water, quality non-compliance • Scientific ‘consensus’, • IPCC, WHO, EMEP • Short clear messages, addressing policy concerns • Illustrations like graphs and maps. Executive summary statements maximum 3 to 5. • ‘Window of opportunity’ • Personal contacts, media, ‘new’ unexpected results

  3. When does a policy maker not listen? • Very technical and scientific issues • Language, modelling, hydromechanics, non-linearities • Priorities of reseachers, bottom up view • Trying to influence for better funds • Uncertainties • Multitude of scientific evidence (part of science) • Some qualifiers but judgement needs to be used • Unclear policy relevant message, • Lengthy tables, long discussions, length of paper. • Several possibilities of interpretation

  4. Interaction science policy Questions Answers WHO IPCC UNEP EMEP EUNEPAPAIRNET Research Assessments and synthesis Policy needs Political agenda Clear questions Policy needs EUROTRAC IGBP Financing ?

  5. Loss in life expectancy 2020 attri-butable to anthropogenic PM2.5 [in months] Despite emission reductions up to 2020, about 5 months of average statistical life expectancy is projected to be lost due to PM Loss in average statistical life expectancy due to identified anthropogenic PM2.5Average of calculations for 1997, 1999, 2000 & 2003 meteorologies

  6. Conclusions • Build consensus in the research community • Answer policy relevant questions as clearly, shortly and illustratively as possible – skip the ‘whereas’ and ‘however’ (adapt to the policy audience) • Highlight unexpected findings as well.

  7. Priorities Issues to be put into clear questions: • Better of emission inventories, PM • Better understanding of SOA • Effects of specific sources on human health • Diesel ultrafines and respiratory diseases • Biogeochemical cycling of nitrogen • Links eutrophication and climate change • Hemispheric air pollution • Integrated assessments (synthesising models)

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