Ideas for scientific policy advice in Europe

The Former EU Chief Scientific Advisor Anne Glover discussed with Martin Kowarsch on lessons learned and future perspectives.

[Translate to EN:] Foto: MCC

21.05.2015

The future of scientific policy advice in Europe is currently controversially discussed: Recently the European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker announced a new mechanism for scientific advice, including an expert panel and a strengthening of the national academies. The former EU Chief scientific advisor, Prof. Anne Glover, discussed with MCC group leader Dr. Martin Kowarsch the topic of “Scientific policy advice in Europe, lessons learned and future perspectives”.

Many questions were being raised: What information is actually needed to allow policy-makers to tackle the great challenges ahead, such as climate change? Which kind of scientific advice is digestible for decision-makers? Which model of scientific policy advice should guide researchers? 

Prof. Anne Glover, currently Richard von Weizsäcker Fellow at the Robert Bosch Academy, gave her insights on lessons learned for policy advice. Martin Kowarsch, head of the MCC Working Group Scientific Assessments, Ethics, and Public Policy (SEP), provided MCC’s perspective. His view focused on climate related issues and lessons learned from the latest IPCC process, such as how scientist can serve policy-makers as map-makers in decision processes.

Both speakers have contributed to the debate about European scientific advice in a collection of articles that was published recently. In the book "Future Directions for Scientific Advice in Europe", edited by James Wilsdon and Robert Doubleday, Glover describes "a moment of magic realism in the European Commission" while Kowarsch - together with MCC director Ottmar Edenhofer - explains how experts can serve as cartographers of policy pathways for Europe.