Burlington consensus 3: Scientists at the heart of global policymaking
ECG Bulletin January 2025
The RSC held a Burlington Consensus 3 meeting on the 27th of September 2024. This is an intergovernmental Science Policy Panel for Chemicals and Waste and with the purpose of preventing or reducing pollution, putting scientists at the heart of global policymaking.
Chemical pollution is estimated to cause approximately nine million premature deaths globally every year and represents an equivalent threat to those posed by climate change and habitat loss. The United Nations has, therefore established a Science Policy Panel to contribute to evidence-based policy development and strengthen the science policy interface to improve the management of chemicals and waste to prevent pollution.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Emma Hardy MP, provided a short introductory talk emphasising the importance of this issue for the UK government.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Emma Hardy MP, provided a short introductory talk emphasising the importance of this issue for the UK government.
This was followed by a short explanation of what the Science Policy Panel (SPP) is and how it was formed by Camilla Alexander-White FRSC ERT CChem (Lead Policy Advisor ─ International Chemicals at the RSC) and Tom Welton OBE FRSC (President of the RSC 2020-2022; and RSC Ambassador for Sustainable Chemicals Policy).
The conference then moved on to three sessions on the role that the SPP plays in international chemicals policy:
· interdisciplinary skills
· expertise for the SPP
· the road ahead for the SPP
The conference then moved on to three sessions on the role that the SPP plays in international chemicals policy:
· interdisciplinary skills
· expertise for the SPP
· the road ahead for the SPP
The Science Policy Panel and the International Chemical Policy Landscape in 2024-2040 – what role will it play?
This session provided a diverse range of perspectives on the role of the SPP from a selection of international organisations including the IPCC, UNEP, and the WHO, industry (represented by Astra Zeneca), and the third sector (represented by Greenpeace).
Overall, this session focused on the importance of cooperation between all those involved and potential conflicts of interest within multistakeholder environments. Notably, many of the interventions from the environmental sector are about the prevention of ill health rather than its treatment. The need to protect health via environmental protection, and the importance of gathering evidence about the cost effectiveness of interventions were some of the key issues raised by the speakers.
This session provided a diverse range of perspectives on the role of the SPP from a selection of international organisations including the IPCC, UNEP, and the WHO, industry (represented by Astra Zeneca), and the third sector (represented by Greenpeace).
Overall, this session focused on the importance of cooperation between all those involved and potential conflicts of interest within multistakeholder environments. Notably, many of the interventions from the environmental sector are about the prevention of ill health rather than its treatment. The need to protect health via environmental protection, and the importance of gathering evidence about the cost effectiveness of interventions were some of the key issues raised by the speakers.
Interdisciplinary skills and expertise for the SPP
The second session of the day introduced a selection of examples of how interdisciplinary skills and experiences, combined with cooperative working, are required for successful delivery. Some of the key points raised by this session were the importance of access to independent science to ensure a more balanced situation between the various contributing parties, and the representation of a diverse range of views and contributions.
Sustainability was highlighted, alongside the importance of moving towards a whole-systems approach to stewardship, for example, reducing the production of wastes rather than dealing with waste disposal. Long range transport is an important factor to consider with air pollution, although in practice relatively few substances are actually managed, and the issues are usually only treated very locally. This highlighted the fact that there is a need to understand the consequences of any actions taken.
The second session of the day introduced a selection of examples of how interdisciplinary skills and experiences, combined with cooperative working, are required for successful delivery. Some of the key points raised by this session were the importance of access to independent science to ensure a more balanced situation between the various contributing parties, and the representation of a diverse range of views and contributions.
Sustainability was highlighted, alongside the importance of moving towards a whole-systems approach to stewardship, for example, reducing the production of wastes rather than dealing with waste disposal. Long range transport is an important factor to consider with air pollution, although in practice relatively few substances are actually managed, and the issues are usually only treated very locally. This highlighted the fact that there is a need to understand the consequences of any actions taken.
Capacity building – what should be expected of the SPP?
This session introduced a variety of projects aimed at building the capacity to deliver against the goals that were raised in earlier sessions.
The first presentation introduced the work of Jamal Hassan and Professor Anthony Gachanja of the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, who have been providing training courses in the use of Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectroscopy (LCMS) through the Pan-Africa Chemistry Network.
There are currently relatively few facilities in Africa that are routinely using LCMS, but this is a key analytical technique that can be used for a wide variety of different applications. Training researchers and chemists in the practical use of LCMS is enabling more research groups to apply the technique routinely. Chemical analysis is important for agriculture, mining, and environmental protections, and the increasing use and application of LCMS and GCMS. Without these training courses it would take much longer for scientists and researchers in Africa to develop the capacity to tackle both current and future chemical pollution problems.
This session introduced a variety of projects aimed at building the capacity to deliver against the goals that were raised in earlier sessions.
The first presentation introduced the work of Jamal Hassan and Professor Anthony Gachanja of the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, who have been providing training courses in the use of Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectroscopy (LCMS) through the Pan-Africa Chemistry Network.
There are currently relatively few facilities in Africa that are routinely using LCMS, but this is a key analytical technique that can be used for a wide variety of different applications. Training researchers and chemists in the practical use of LCMS is enabling more research groups to apply the technique routinely. Chemical analysis is important for agriculture, mining, and environmental protections, and the increasing use and application of LCMS and GCMS. Without these training courses it would take much longer for scientists and researchers in Africa to develop the capacity to tackle both current and future chemical pollution problems.
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Other presentations in this session introduced some of the lessons learnt from projects aimed at providing sustainable education facilities in developing areas. A key learning was the need to use technologies that can be used and maintained locally to ensure that the local communities can be certain that the technologies used can provide local benefits over the longer term. This requires training local communities in the operation and maintenance of technologies, and the ability to recycle or safely dispose of waste.
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Another project involved building the capacity to address arsenic contamination of drinking water supplies in India and Pakistan. This work involved enabling local scientists to analyse arsenic in groundwaters using practical methods that could be applied locally to identify problematic drinking water sources and address the problems directly. This required training chemists both in the analyses required, but also the health and safety requirements of laboratory working to ensure that the workers are adequately protecting themselves.
Keynote speech Professor Sir Geoff Mulgan
The final part of the conference was a guest lecture by Professor Sir Geoff Mulgan (University College London) on observations from various science policy interfaces, and how science relates to political power. Whilst science can provide evidence-based recommendations about the best or most appropriate approaches to solve problems, it cannot resolve the value judgements that are inevitably required to make the political decisions that stem from them.
Perhaps the most important message from this was the importance of involving the wider society in identifying the important priorities for future research. This ensures that scientists are asked the right questions, and able to address concerns of society overall.
The final part of the conference was a guest lecture by Professor Sir Geoff Mulgan (University College London) on observations from various science policy interfaces, and how science relates to political power. Whilst science can provide evidence-based recommendations about the best or most appropriate approaches to solve problems, it cannot resolve the value judgements that are inevitably required to make the political decisions that stem from them.
Perhaps the most important message from this was the importance of involving the wider society in identifying the important priorities for future research. This ensures that scientists are asked the right questions, and able to address concerns of society overall.
