IMPROVING THE APPLICATION OF RESEARCH IN DECISION MAKING AND CONTROL OF THE ENVIRONMENT

Abstract

The UK Government has actively supported the more productive use of research to guide policy-making and legislation over the last 10 years. In response, studies reported in this paper have been undertaken by the Environment Research Funders' Forum to decide what works, what is not, and why, in relation to the connection between science and environmental policy-making and regulation. The results suggested the scope for enhancing productivity in the following areas: the establishment of study issues and agendas, access to knowledge and skills, the role of interpreters, and accountability and assessment. These results are confirmed by those of previous UK and EU research. The studies showed that existing practices in the use of evidence to advice policy-making have not yet been driven, and described possible steps that could be taken to close the gap by the Forum and its members.