The Scientific Alliance has today issued its own ‘Manifesto for Science’
after expressing disappointment that the main party manifestos do not give
strong or clear enough commitments to the application of scientific
knowledge to policy decisions.
Formed in 2001, the Scientific Alliance is a non-profit membership-based
organisation, based in Cambridge. The Alliance brings together both
scientists and non-scientists committed to rational discussion and debate
on the challenges facing the environment.
Professor Tony Trewavas, FRS, Chairman, Scientific Alliance, said: “There
is much common ground about supporting science in party manifestoes but
with a few exceptions it is mostly motherhood and apple pie.
“Too often, politicians pay lip service to the use of evidence for
policymaking while being guided by political advantage and special-interest
lobbying instead. If we want prosperity for all, policies based on hard
evidence and objectivity must become the norm.”
“To give greater clarity about how science can benefit Britain we’ve
therefore produced our own”.
Amongst a range of policies, the Manifesto for Science calls for a
re-balancing of power generation and embracing the opportunities of genetic
modification, synthetic biology and life sciences.
Energy policy; Scientific Alliance
An affordable and secure energy supply is vital for a prosperous modern
society and this is recognised by all major political parties. The nature
of the system that delivers this must not, however, be predetermined by
political considerations. Scientists and engineers can deliver national
objectives but the public should be fully aware of all costs and
environmental impacts.
Low energy costs are fundamental to a dynamic modern industrial economy and
the overall costs of generating and distributing electricity should be a
key consideration when developing a strategy.
A sensible way forward would be to set up a truly independent body of
experts, led by an eminent and respected chair, with a wide-ranging brief
to review the cost, security and carbon-intensity of the system as well as
energy efficiency measures – such as insulation – and their broader
implications. This body should report its findings and recommendations on
how best to achieve the desired outcome to Parliament rather than Government.
Given concerns about the operation of the electricity market and
well-meaning but misguided proposals for price capping, a similar body
should be set up to review all options for governance of the electricity
system, also making its recommendations to Parliament.
Use of indigenous energy supplies should be encouraged wherever economic
and technologically justified. We should, however, also be open to the
potential of any and all energy sources, including nuclear fission (and, in
future, fusion) and storage technologies to contribute to a secure and
affordable supply.
Professor Trewavas added: “Energy policy is a mess. Governments have
committed themselves to rely increasingly on unreliable renewable energy
technologies that increase costs and are not capable of being the basis for
a secure power supply.
“Future policy should focus on a set of realistic, achievable top-level
targets, with no preconceptions about how we can best achieve them. New
energy sources such as Thorium need to be included and an objective
cost-benefit analysis established.”
“Irrational opposition to genetic modification has been allowed to drive
highly skilled jobs in agricultural research overseas. The next government
should take the opportunity to encourage new job creation by taking a
science-based approach to regulating both genetic modification and the
exciting new tools of synthetic biology.”
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