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Science Should Be Part of Political Decision-Making: EU Commissioner

Posted on: Friday, 11 November 2005, 09:00 CST

Science should be part of political decision-making: EU commissioner

BUDAPEST, Nov. 10 (Xinhua) -- European Commissioner for Science and Research Janez Potocnik on Thursday called for a narrowing of the gap between research and society, and for the integration of science into the process of political decision-making.

"Science should be integrated into political decision-making, first of all in such areas as sustainable development, public health and food security," he told the second World Science Forum.

The commissioner noted that scientific knowledge plays a crucial role in democratic, knowledge-based societies. To strengthen ties between the public and private sectors, civil organizations should be increasingly involved in research, and the public made more aware of the benefits of science.

"Science is not only a source of information but also a catalyst of economic development and social welfare," he told the three-day forum at the Hungarian Science Academy.

Potocnik summed up the purpose of science in three key words: justice, progress and responsibility.

He also said that during the second half of the 20th century, science had had an indisputable impact on society. Physics, thermodynamics and the social science have laid a solid foundation for a knowledge-based society.

However, there were some limits to development and the past century proved that technology could be abused, for instance in the case of the nuclear bomb.

The public distrust in science had been fuelled by such problems as pollution, threats to biological diversity and climate changes, he said.

Source: Xinhua News Agency - CEIS

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