Welcome to this Special Issue of EuroScientist on: Evidence-Based Policy!
Policy decisions are too often political instead of being informed by evidence-based considerations. This is obvious but not ineluctable.
In this special issue of EuroScientist, we first look at the art of convincing decision makers using evidence, by focusing on the example of mindfulness practice, looking at arguments that are used to entice decision makers to adopt it, in a wide range of organisations, including universities, public sector bodies, tech industries and law firms.
We also bring you an article providing an overview of the areas linked to science and research practice where policy could be more transparent–namely, the field of scientific advice and research impact.
In addition, we focus on two case studies where policy failed to align to the best available evidence. The first relates to how the policy making process left the steel industry some ample room to manoeuvre in their choice of emission limiting technology, under the 2010 Industrial Emission Directive due to be implemented in 2016 . The second example looks into how evidence based approaches–including advances in toxicology testing– could help modernise the regulations pertaining to food, drugs and chemical safety.
We then publish the insights from the European Parliament Scientific Foresight Unit, supporting the Science and Technology Options Assessment (STOA) Panel , who tell us about the novel mechanisms designed to make scientific evidence and foresight available to EP policy makers.
Find out about this topic by reading this special issue of EuroScientist and sharing it as widely as possible in your circles.
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Editorial
Shifting the perspective of the most sceptical minds
By Sabine Louët, EuroScientist Editor.
Transparency
Policy matters: transparency is rarely a bad thing
By Arran Frood, Science Journalist, UK.
Case studies: shunting the evidence-base
Nerves of steel: carte blanche to Europe's atmospheric polluters
By Dino Trescher, Stefano Valentino & Luuk Sengers, Journalists Germany, Belgium & The Netherlands.
Evidence-based safety science is nigh
By Thomas Hartung, Founder Evidence-Based Toxicology Collaboration, USA.
Regulator’s perspective
Scientific foresight, new in the EU Parliament science advice toolkit
By Theodoros Karapiperis & Lieve Van Woensel, STOA, Belgium.
Do you believe that policy making should be more transparent?
Who should be responsible for making policy mechanism more systematically integrate evidence?
Your thoughts and opinions are valuable, feel free to use our simple comment section below.
Featured image credit: CC BY-NC 2.0 by Karina Smigla-Bobinski
We also produced a print edition of this Special Issue. Please fill free to download it and circule it among your contacts.
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