Science policy: From Brookhaven to Bush

Policy trumps science in the Bush administration.

Not long ago, a group of more than 60 top United States scientists, including more than 20 past Nobel laureates and past scientific advisors to Republican administrations, accused the Bush administration of manipulating and censoring science for political purposes.1 Included among those involved were David Baltimore, Paul Ehrlich, Leon Lederman, E.O. Wilson and Harold Varmus. The charges are qu...

A Science and Technology Policy Focus for the Bush Administration

1 With the administration of George W. Bush commencing under especially difficult political circumstances, careful consideration of science and technology (S&T) policy could well be relegated to the “later” category for months or even years to come. Science advocates may interpret early signs of neglect as a call to lobby Congress for a proposition that already has significant bipartisan suppor...

Regulating BFRs--from science to policy.

An adequate distribution of responsibilities between scientists and policy-makers requires that a distinction be made between theoretical rationality (what to believe) and practical rationality (what to do). In chemical risk management, it is often necessary to base decisions on indications of risk that do not amount to full scientific proof. Guidelines are offered for how this can be done with...

Bush Administration Tax Policy: Distributional Effects

From science to policy: developing responses to climate change

Climate change poses risks to human health, ecosystems, social and cultural systems, and economic development. It also provides opportunities. The goals of climate policy should be to reduce the risks and take advantage of the opportunities. Adapting to the potential effects of climate change is a complex and ongoing process requiring actions by individuals, communities, governments and interna...