Some months ago, through an interview on BBC Radio 4, the Associate Editor heard about The Union of Concerned Scientists in the United States. Following this we made contact with them and the current President of the organization, Kevin Knobloch, kindly agreed to answer our questions.

1) Why and by whom was the UCS founded?

KNOBLOCH: UCS was founded in 1969 by faculty members and students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. They were concerned about the misuse of science in society and wanted to begin prioritizing environmental and social problems rather than military programs. UCS’s ideological birth was documented in the form of a Faculty Statement, which spawned the nonprofit partnership of more than 100,000 scientist and concerned citizen members.
UCS employs scientists to influence public policy in ways that result in innovative, practical solutions to our biggest environmental problems. For more than 35 years, UCS has successfully affected positive legislative changes in clean air, energy, water and transportation, using science—not partisan politics—as its guide.

2) Of all the current environmental and ecological issues, which is of greatest concern to your members, because of the Bush administration’s inaction?

KNOBLOCH: When scientific knowledge has been in conflict with its political goals, the Bush administration has often manipulated the process through which science enters into its decisions. UCS is concerned about this and the unprecedented political interference on scientific issues, from childhood lead poisoning to endangered species to air pollution. We count on an open and unfettered scientific process, free from political inquiry and threats. Unfortunately, the administration’s assault on scientific integrity has prevented policy makers from making fully informed decisions – threatening our health and the environment.

Suppressing and altering the scientific facts on global warming may be the most flagrant example of the abuse of science to date. The Bush administration has refused to adequately address the causes of global warming, which the vast majority of scientists believe is influenced by human activity. There has been a concerted effort to undermine scientific facts and research results in order to diminish the urgency of taking steps to solve the global warming problem. For example, in June 2003, the White House tried to substantially alter scientific findings on climate change in a U.S. Environmental Protection report on the environment. Instead of reporting false information, the EPA omitted the entire section on global warming. Later, a White House official was caught inserting inaccurate language in scientific documents in an attempt to undercut the scientific consensus behind climate change. And prominent scientists have been prevented from discussing their climate change research.

In response to the unprecedented assault on science, UCS created its Scientific Integrity Program. The program works to protect current government scientists and uphold the federal government’s scientific capacity. In the long term, we are working to develop a framework of reforms that will restore integrity to the science that informs public policy making.

3) Are you concerned about the perception of American scientists abroad?

KNOBLOCH: The United States still has a strong, vibrant scientific community and large amount of world-class scientific talent. American scientists contribute significantly to the advancement of science in all scientific disciplines.

That said, the recent abuses on science have compromised scientists’ ability to conduct thorough, independent research. Political interference in science obstructs our nation’s ability to respond to complex health and environmental problems. It also discourages scientists from entering federal service and has already caused a number of senior scientists to resign in protest. We are very concerned that political interference in science is negatively impacting the scientific capacity of federal agencies.

4) Does the present US administration take UCS seriously as a cohesive group and if so are you now able communicate your concerns at a high level?

KNOBLOCH: UCS is a well-respected organization with decades of experience working with leaders of all political stripes, successfully cooperating with senior scientists and community leaders to put the issue of political interference in science on the public and media agendas. Senior administrative officials—from former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan to former Interior Department Secretary Gayle Norton—have been forced to respond to our charges.
Yes, UCS is able to communicate at a high level. We are widely seen as the nation’s leading authority on this issue, and have been quoted extensively in media outlets across the United States.

UCS scientists and members stay in constant dialogue with members of Congress and the media in order to improve the way in which independent science informs decision-making on environmental and public health issues. By providing reliable scientific information, UCS is able to communicate to the government its legislative priorities and general concerns as a credible source.

5) Does UCS find that the present administration is beginning to act more openly as a result of your organization speaking out in the media?

KNOBLOCH: It takes time and sustained effort to affect the kind of behavioral and systemic change from the government that UCS is intent on achieving. Furthermore, it is difficult to do so when Congress fails to provide effective oversight of federal scientific agencies. As such, examples of political interference in science are still coming to light on issues across the board - from air pollution to cattle grazing. But we have been laying the groundwork for reform by raising the political cost of interfering with scientific data, and our work is starting to garner success. For the first time, one U.S. agency has issued a policy on scientific openness – a policy it enacted after a high profile scientist reported that his work on climate change was being suppressed. Now it will be important to ensure that the policy is implemented properly. We have also been working with the U.S. Congress to pass first-of-its-kind legislation that bans the deliberate dissemination of false or misleading scientific information for several federal departments. Going forward, we will work to better educate Congress about the impact of the abuse of science and to continue to create an environment where scientists can speak out more forcefully against such abuses.