It ought to be remembered that there is nothing more difficult to take in hand,
more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the
lead in the introduction of a new order of things. Because the innovator has
for enemies all those who have done well under the old conditions, and lukewarm
defenders in those who may do well under the new. This coolness arises partly
from fear of the opponents, who have the laws on their side, and partly from
the incredulity of men, who do not readily believe in new things until they
have had a long experience of them. Machiavelli, The Prince (1513)
Of course by the time we have long experience it will be too late.Greg
From: Jonathan Marshall <[email protected]>
To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 21, 2016 1:56 PM
Subject: Re: [geo] Off-topic : scientists attack their muzzling by government
#yiv3473894426 #yiv3473894426 -- p
{margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;}#yiv3473894426 The right wing government in
Australia, has been attacking our major scientific organisation the CSIRO ever
since it came into power, cutting money for research. It appears to now have
destroyed the climate change research part of the organisation, on the
intersting grounds that climate change is now established and we don't need to
do any more research on the topic... There are a lot of articles about this
online, if anyone is interested. jonFrom: [email protected]
<[email protected]> on behalf of Andrew Lockley
<[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, 22 February 2016 8:11 AM
To: geoengineering
Subject: [geo] Off-topic : scientists attack their muzzling by government
Poster's note : echoing the Canadian moves to gag scientists under the previous
right-wing government, there's now a similar move in the UK. This is likely to
worry a range of list members, particularly those actively working on climate /
environmental issues. This comes on a background of an ongoing, concerted
attempts from the top of the UK government to undermine the UK's recent
progress on renewable
energy.https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/feb/20/scientists-attack-muzzling-government-state-funded-cabinet-office?CMP=share_btn_twScientists
attack their 'muzzling' by governmentState-funded scientists could be
prevented from lobbying for change in their field under Cabinet Office
proposalsRobin McKie Observer science editor
Saturday 20 February Senior scientists have denounced a potential move to
“muzzle” colleagues whose findings are disliked by the government.The proposal
– announced by the Cabinet Office earlier this month – would block researchers
who receive government grants from using their results to lobby for changes to
laws or regulations.For example, an academic whose government-funded research
showed that new regulations were proving particularly harmful to the homeless
would not be able to call for policy change.Similarly, ecologists who found out
that new planning laws were harming wildlife would not be able to raise the
issue in public, while climate scientists whose findings undermined government
energy policy could have work suppressed.“I am very worried about this and so
are many of my colleagues,” said Professor James Wilsdon, chair of the Campaign
for Social Science. “This has sweeping implications for the way we do research
in this country and the way we try to make it relevant to the nation. This is
an attempt to muzzle scientists and social scientists.”The row focuses on a new
clause that the Cabinet Office wants inserted into all new and renewed grant
agreements involving government money that would block recipients from using
any of those funds for lobbying. It is the sweeping nature of this regulation
that has alarmed academics.Wilsdon has written a letter – with his counterpart,
Dr Sarah Main, director of the Campaign for Science and Engineering – to
Matthew Hancock, minister for the Cabinet Office. They are demanding an urgent
meeting with him to discuss the removal of the clause because they “fear it may
have unintended consequences”.The clause is expected to come into force in May.
According to the Cabinet Office, it is intended to broaden government action
aimed at stopping NGOs from lobbying politicians and Whitehall departments
using the government’s own funds.The Cabinet Office has passed this instruction
on to other departments, including the Department for Business, Innovation and
Skills (BIS), which has responsibility for providing funds for researchers in
the UK, including those based at universities. The BIS said last week it was in
discussions with stakeholders on how best to interpret the new rule.Many
scientists fear that unless a complete exemption is made for scientists and
social scientists, their work would be muzzled. “Alternatively, exemptions
could be made on an individual basis but that would drown the whole grant
system in bureaucracy,” added Wilsdon.The Cabinet Office move has also
irritated scientists because, over the past few years, the government has
insisted that UK research must have impact and relevance.“Under this new
regulation, if it is found their work has impact or relevance, they will now
want us to keep quiet about it, it appears,” said Wilsdon.This point was backed
by Bob Ward, policy and communications director at the Centre for Climate
Change Economics and Policy. “These sudden and drastic restrictions on research
grants will have an immensely damaging impact on key areas of public policy,
such as fighting climate change.“They will make it much more difficult for
independent university experts to advise ministers and civil servants, and
hence make it easier for lobbyists, companies and campaign groups to divert
policies towards their vested interests instead. This will be bad for
policymaking, bad for democracy and bad for the public interest.”But last week
ministers denied the new clause was intended to silence those accepting
government grants. Rob Wilson, the minister for civil society, said the clause
would not stop grant recipients from reporting back to government on the impact
of the grant funding.“Nor does this clause seek to silence anyone,” he said.
“It simply ensures that government grant funding is used for the purposes for
which the grant was given and is not used for campaigning or lobbying unless
expressly authorised by ministers.“I would urge any organisation that receives
government grants to speak to its partner department if it has any concerns or
wishes to seek guidance.”--
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