OECD Global Science Forum

Martin Kowarsch on scientific policy advice with responsibility

26.02.2014

The challenges facing society today can no longer be tackled with common sense, ideological principles or experience alone. Instead, legislators and policy-makers rely on advice from scientists in order to make informed decisions. However, what legal and ethical responsibilities do researchers have in light of their influence on politics?

 

These and other questions were discussed this February 27th to 28th at the Global Science Forum of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Berlin. The Forum featured a presentation by Martin Kowarsch, co-head of the Working Group Assessments and Scientific Policy Advice at the Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change (MCC), on the ethical and communicative aspects of scientific policy advice. The presentation was followed by a panel discussion, moderated by Christian Flachsland, the other co-head of the MCC Working Group Assessments and Scientific Policy Advice.

 

“Exploring different policy paths and their associated risks in more detail is a complex undertaking and presents scientists with enormous challenges,” says Kowarsch. “This calls on society, politicians and the scientific community to engage in a continuous learning process about political objectives, including the means for achieving them and their externalities.” In order to mitigate the risk of experts getting embroiled in legal disputes for their policy recommendations, they must better communicate the potential consequences of their alternative policy options. “At the same time, scientists must assume their responsibility in society and politics.” 

 

The OECD Global Science Forum has been publishing findings on science and research policy as well as status reports on key issues in science since 1992. The results of the Berlin workshop will be summarized and published in the report “Scientific Advice for Political Decision-Making and Implications for the Role and Responsibility of Scientists”.