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Going Global: The appliance of science in a complex global context
The document outlines the role of scientific advice in addressing complex global challenges, emphasizing the need for evidence-based policy and innovation in sectors such as health, security, and environmental sustainability. It discusses mechanisms for gathering scientific input, highlights significant case studies including the Ebola outbreak, and emphasizes the importance of balancing risks related to technological progress. The conclusion stresses that academia plays a crucial role in economic growth and evidence-based governance.
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Going Global: The appliance of science in a complex global context
- 1. Going Global: The applianceof science in a complex global context Sir Mark Walport Chief Scientific Adviser to HM Government
- 2. 2 Going Global:The appliance of science in a complex global context • Health, wellbeing, security & resilience • Knowledge translated to economic advantage • The right science for emergencies • Underpinning policy with evidence • Advocacy and leadership for science Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser Credit: iStockphoto
- 3. 3 Going Global:The appliance of science in a complex global context How we gather the best advice: Access to networks • Government science and engineering network • Public sector research establishments • National academies and learned societies • Academia • Industry
- 4. 4 Going Global:The appliance of science in a complex global context Timescales of Scientific Advice Long-term and Strategic Medium-term Current Issues Foresight: Demography, ageing and the future of cities Horizon Scanning: The internet of things Annual reports: Risk and Innovation Research: Energy capacity margins, fracking, cybersecurity Emergencies: SAGEs on flooding, Fukushima, Ebola Emerging issues: Neonicotinoids, bovine TB, ash dieback Short-term and Responsive
- 5. 5 Going Global:The appliance of science in a complex global context COBR Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) Non-Governmental Organisations Government Scientists Industry Academia • 2010 – Volcanic Ash • 2011 – Fukushima • 2012 – Olympics • 2013 – Flooding • 2014 – Ebola • 2015 – Nepal Earthquake • Operational response • Impact management • Recovery • Public Information The Importance of Embedded Mechanisms Home Office Rapid Diagnostics, 25th June 20135 SACs
- 6. 6 Going Global:The appliance of science in a complex global context Ebola Outbreak: What has SAGE considered? • Modelling – what are the best and reasonable worst case scenarios? • Risk to UK – how many cases should we expect to see? • Screening – will it be effective in identifying cases? • Virus survival – how long does the virus last on different surfaces? Will it survive in sewage? • Vaccines –What clinical trials do we need? • What else can we do? Cumulative cases 24 666 Cases in past 21 days 398 Cumulative deaths 10 179 WHO Ebola Situation Report - 18 March 2015
- 7. 7 Going Global:The appliance of science in a complex global context Horizon Scanning and Futures • Confounding received wisdom • Linking policy areas • Avoiding unintended consequences • Targeting investment in the right places HOUSEHOLD INCOME PER WEEK, ENGLAND AND WALES (GBP) Ageing Cities
- 8. 8 Going Global:The appliance of science in a complex global context Where does risk come in? Natural Credit: Maccheek/PD Credit: CDC/EthleenLloyd
- 9. 9 Going Global:The appliance of science in a complex global context Where does risk come in? Human Credit: AP Credit: @Boston_to_a_T/Twitter
- 10. 10 Going Global:The appliance of science in a complex global context The National Risk Register 10
- 11. 11 Going Global:The appliance of science in a complex global context Innovation and Risk Risk all pervasive in work as GCSA Innovation held back by badly framed discussions about risk •Communication •Science meets values •Regulation
- 12. 12 Going Global:The appliance of science in a complex global context Innovation has got us where we are • Widespread electrification • Improvements in healthcare • Mass production systems • Better transport links Credit: A_Werdan/PD Credit: Foodcollection RF
- 13. 13 Going Global:The appliance of science in a complex global context Innovation is needed where we are going The challenges we face include: •Climate change •Water security •Food and agriculture •Changing demographics Credit: Lindsey Bengtson/PDCredit: stockphoto Credit: שרגיאן יגאל/CC BY 2.5
- 14. 14 Going Global:The appliance of science in a complex global context Forms of innovation and risks 1. High level of acceptance but who pays? 2. Science meets values 3. My risk, your benefit 4. Unintended consequences 5. New challenges Credit: istockphoto Credit: Sunil060902/CC-BY-SA-3.0 Credit: US Air Force/CC BY-NC 2.0 Credit: iStockphoto
- 15. 15 Going Global:The appliance of science in a complex global context The policy challenge: Viewing difficult issues through varied lenses science is part of the answer Parkhill et al, Transforming the Energy System – Public Values, Attitudes and Acceptability, 2013 (UKERC) Credit: Thomas Shahan/CC-BY-NC-ND-2.0
- 16. 16 Going Global:The appliance of science in a complex global context Conclusion • We are in the fastest period of technological progress we have ever seen – the link between R&D and national prosperity will only get stronger • Innovation is necessary to meet the challenges we all face, we must properly balance the risks that this presents • Academia has a vital role to play both in terms of economic growth, and ensuring government policy is informed by the best information
- 17. Every effort hasbeen made to trace copyright holders and to obtain their permission for the use of copyright material. We apologise for any errors or omissions in the included attributions and would be grateful if notified of any corrections that should be incorporated in future versions of this slide set. We can be contacted through contact@go- science.gsi.gov.uk . @uksciencechief www.gov.uk/go-science
Editor's Notes
- #3 My role is of course strongly influenced by the issues that the Government of the day cares about, such as health, economic well-being and security, including the country’s resilience to natural and man-made disasters: all aspects which you and Government colleagues play a part in addressing on a daily basis.
- #4 European-Union-GDP-per-capita-map
- #6 The role of science in a national or international emergency S&T advice needs to be made available at very short notice (typically in an hour or so in the first instance) I convene a Science Advisory Group in an Emergency (SAGE) based on pre-arranged lists of experts to help me advise the Prime Minister and Cabinet in ‘real-time’. SAGE needs to advise on the potential impacts of any emergency. Combined with legal, political, economic considerations by COBR who decide on national response [NJ: It would be good to give a couple of historic examples]; [i.e. presumably the likes of Fukushima, Icelandic volcanoes; could also cite recent examples of flooding, etc. where forecasts and preparedness have been fairly good]
- #8 Having identified some possible future needs, we need to be sure that the GSE Profession is able to respond to these. Will we need more taxonomists to assess new species as climate change alters our wildlife? More cryptologists as we move towards an Internet of things? More anthropologists as the movement of people raises cultural conflicts? Eg. Data Science Scientists and engineers make a huge contribution to government in terms of data and analysis, a major cross-cutting theme for GO-Science Over the past year we have worked with the Cabinet Office on the government data science programme which has catalysed a series of data science demonstrator projects In particular we have worked with emergency response agencies to produce a live data visualisation tool for emergencies which is being used in COBR committee