Ryan Meyer, a PhD student at ASU’s Consortium for Science, Policy, and Outcomes and collaborator in our SPARC project, has a letter in the current issue of Science.


Here is Ryan’s letter:

The Random Samples item “As earth warms, Congress listens” (6 Oct., p. 29) ends with a proclamation by the National Resources Defense Council’s David Doniger that climate change hearings “don’t do anything.” Although Doniger’s frustrations are understandable, his lament misses a crucial point: In fact, it is precisely what climate hearings actually do that so badly hinders policy progress.

Climate change hearings are held because the issue is deeply divisive. As Nobelist Herbert Simon reminded us, “when an issue becomes highly controversial–when it is surrounded by uncertainties and conflicting values–then expertness is very hard to come by, and it is no longer easy to legitimate the experts” (1). Studies of discourse in these settings, including my own analysis of examples from the last 15 years (2-4), show, for example, that discussions of uncertainty have had the dual effect of justifying increased research funding while delaying policy decisions–a win for both the scientists and the politicians!

Scientists must recognize that when they testify at such hearings, they are participating in a political event, not a scientific one. When issues are highly polarized, a hearing may be a useful tool for adding to the public record or building support for a particular policy position, but it should not be seen as a way to impose scientific rationality on politics.

Ryan M. Meyer
Consortium for Science Policy and Outcomes
Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ 85287-4401, USA

References

1. H. A. Simon, Reason in Human Affairs (Stanford Univ. Press, Stanford, CA, 1983), p. 97.
2. S. Shackley, P. Young, S. Parkinson, B. Wynne, Clim. Change 38, 159 (1998).
3. J. van der Sluijs, J. van Eijndhoven, S. Shackley, B. Wynne, Social Stud. Sci. 28, 291 (Apr. 1998).
4. R. Meyer, Perspect. Public Affairs 3, 85 (Spring 2006).

The article of Ryan’s that he refers to is titled, “Intractable Debate: Why Congressional hearings on climate fail to advance policy” and can be found here in PDF. Do pay attention. Ryan is someone I expect that we’ll be hearing much more from.