Volume 1

The Natural Environment Research Council and research into climate change : third report / Science and Technology Committee.

  • Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Select Committee on Science and Technology
Date:
1997
Catalogue details

Licence: Open Government Licence

Credit: The Natural Environment Research Council and research into climate change : third report / Science and Technology Committee. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    falls into the “basic oriented” category. With this in mind we do distinguish between Support given in the purely responsive “non-thematic” mode and that where proposals are invited against themes — “thematic” and “core strategic modes.””? “NERC support given to non-thematic ‘curiosity driven’ research currently represents 20 per cent of the Science Budget. ....it is unlikely that [Council] would wish to see it diminished. There is also basic research done under the thematic and core strategic modes. ”*? 40. The research community has some grounds for its concern about NERC’s commitment to basic research. Last year there was a decline in the proportion of NERC’s science budget devoted to non-thematic funding,*' and funding for natural resources and global change will be reduced while research into waste, a topic clearly industrially applicable, will be increased.** £400,000 was set aside for “Connect”, a new scheme to promote partnerships between the science base and industry, business and commerce, in 1995-96 and £750,000 per year will be devoted to it until 1998. As NERC itself points out, OST initiatives, such as Realising Our Potential Awards and Foresight Challenge, have reduced the flexibility available to the Council.** However, it is also important to note that NERC defines its programme in terms of key Scientific Challenges for the next 5 to 10 years, as well as in terms of user group needs.*° The decline in responsive research is likely to be reversed, and the reduction in NERC expenditure on global change is influenced by the ending of several major programmes and “does not take account of the at present unpredictable future allocation of the headroom that will be created over the same five years for new initiatives.”*° 41. Technology Foresight and the White Paper objectives are not necessarily incompatible with basic research. We endorse the White Paper principle that Research Councils should consider the users of their research in drawing up their programmes. However, this does not mean they should take a short term view, or confine themselves to topics which current users can identify. Their primary responsibility must be to ensure the health of the science base and the continuation of the long term basic and strategic research which only government will fund. It is very important that all parties recognise that such research is essential to ensure both our future quality of life, and our future prosperity. Global environmental change is a prime example of a topic which will clearly affect our quality of life. But it would be wrong to think of it in those terms alone; the Review of the Potential Effects of Climate Change in the United Kingdom*®’ considers the implications for many industries, including the manufacturing, retailing and service industries, insurance and the financial sector. From the evidence available to us at this stage, NERC’s approach seems entirely reasonable; much Ey. (Vol ID, p.2. RY ADL: Sly. (Vol ID), p.131. SFy. (Vol ID, p.6. 83 Annual Report 1995-96, p.25. S4ey. (Vol ID, p.1. These are: — Characteristics of the atmosphere; — Data from satellites; — Dynamics of the Earth; . — Evolution, biodiversity and ecological roles; — Fluid flow through rocks and soils; — Global biogeochemical cycles; — Impacts of environmental change and stress, — Oceans, atmosphere and ice; x Seatioeuiange and peruistence. Forward Look of Government-funded SET 1996, Cm 3257-1, p.133. 86Ry. (Vol II), p.6. ed at the request of the Department of the Environment by the Climate Change Impacts Review Group, 87 P r 1SO, March 1996. HMS