Going Global: The appliance of science in a complex global context

Going Global:The appliance of science in a complex global context

Sir Mark WalportChief Scientific Adviser to HM Government

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


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


Timescales of Scientific Advice

Long-term and Strategic

Medium-term Current Issues

Foresight: Demography, ageing and the future of citiesHorizon Scanning: The internet of things

Annual reports: Risk and InnovationResearch: Energy capacity margins, fracking, cybersecurity

Emergencies: SAGEs on flooding, Fukushima, EbolaEmerging issues: Neonicotinoids, bovine TB, ash dieback

Short-term and Responsive


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


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 666Cases in past 21 days 398Cumulative deaths 10 179WHO Ebola Situation Report - 18 March 2015


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


Where does risk come in?

Natural Credit: Maccheek/PD Credit: CDC/EthleenLloyd


Where does risk come in?

Human

Credit: AP Credit: @Boston_to_a_T/Twitter


The National Risk Register

10


Innovation and Risk

Risk all pervasive in work as GCSA

Innovation held back by badly framed discussions about risk

•Communication

•Science meets values

•Regulation


Innovation has got us where we are

• Widespread electrification

• Improvements in healthcare

• Mass production systems

• Better transport linksCredit: A_Werdan/PD

Credit: Foodcollection RF


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: יגאל שרגיאן/CC BY 2.5


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


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


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

Every effort has been 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 [email protected] .

@uksciencechief

www.gov.uk/go-science

Government & Nonprofit

Going Global: The appliance of science in a complex global context