The UK Government’s Chief Scientific Advisor, Professor John Beddington FRS, outlined the key challenges facing society at this afternoon’s Parliamentary and Scientific Committee lunch, commemorating the Committee’s 70th anniversary. Prof. Beddington followed Lord Jenkin of Roding, who outlined the history of the Committee, its importance to the Second World War effort, and its relevance today to policy-making.

Addressing an audience of MPs, peers, representatives of NGOs, learned societies (including the BES), business and government agencies, Prof. Beddington stated that commitment to science at the very top of Government was fundamental to policy-making. He felt that the necessary structures were in place in the UK to put science advice at the heart of Government, with every Government Department, bar HM Treasury, now having appointed a Chief Scientific Advisor. The Advisors meet with one another every six weeks, and with the heads of the Research Councils every twelve weeks. However, scientific advice in Europe is still lacking, with Prof. Beddington asking, ‘Who do I phone?’ in Europe, when an issue emerges. He outlined his hope that this situation would shortly change, given the announcement, made by Jose Manuel Barosso, of the intention to appoint a Chief Scientific Advisor to Europe.

In outlining priorities and challenges for society in the future, Prof. Beddington highlighted a) the proliferation of nuclear energy, b) the development of UK National Infrastructure and c) disease, as key. The Prime Minister and Prof. Beddington were in conversation regarding establishing a ‘centre of nuclear excellence’, to examine pathways for the development of nuclear energy which did not allow for nuclear proliferation and the terrorism threat this would entail.

Prof. Beddington urged the assembled members of the Committee to commmunicate and reiterate the challenge posed by demographic change to the stability of society; not only is the world’s population increasing at a rate of 6 million people each month but in westernised societies the size of the working-age population is declining. This poses a tremendous challenge for the way in which healthcare will be funded and treated in the future. Futures studies, such as those commissioned on land use, the future of food and farming and international migration by the Foresight Programme, could help policy-makers to anticipate and prepare for the consequences of the ‘perfect storm’ of population change, increasing demand for food and water, which would characterise the landscape of 2030 and beyond.

Finally, Prof. Beddington urged Committee members to address ‘anti-science’ in UK society, as characterised by changes to pesticide legislation in the EU and the proliferation of alternative medicines. “People are entitled to their own opinions but they are not entitled to their own facts”, he stated, quoting Steven Chu, President Obama’s energy advisor.

The UK is the most scientifically productive nation in the world, Professor Beddington said, and it fell to each member of the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee to make sure that science was, and continued to be, adequately and appropriately funded and supported.

A review of recent studies into noise pollution and biodiversity has concluded that noise is becoming a major threat, interfering with the way species communicate, mate and hunt. The authors found that man-made noise is already creating a host of problems, and worry that noise pollution is so ubiquitous that it may be a factor in some large-scale declines in biodiversity.

Many species have evolved hearing sensitive enough to take account of the quietest conditions, so noise can significantly impact how they communicate. Great tits (Parsus major) sing at higher frequencies in response to urban noise, so they are better able to hear each other. Other species have not shown a similar ability to adapt their calling habits, with female grey tree frogs (Hyla chrysoscelis) exposed to the sounds of passing traffic taking longer to locate and find calling males, and European tree frogs (Hyla arborea) calling less overall. This may potentially compromise their ability to reproduce.

Noise pollution can also effect the hunting ability of many species. One gleaning bat species, the Bechstein’s bat (Myotis bechsteinii), is less likely to cross roads than other bat species that forage in open areas, suggesting the noise of the traffic could fragment their hunting grounds. In the Amazon, terrestrial insectivores, which also hunt using sound, especially avoid areas where roads are being constructed.

The problem appears to be getting worse. In the US alone, road and air traffic more than tripled between 1970 and today. Shipping noise has similarly increased, with worrying implications for marine mammals. Systematic monitoring by the Natural Sounds Program, a research exercise carried out by the US National Park Service, confirms the extent of the noise intrusion. Noise is audible during more than one quarter of daylight hours at more than half of 55 sites in 14 National Parks studied to date. At 12 sites, anthropogenic noise can be heard more than half the time.

The authors argue that much more needs to be done to mitigate the problem, using techniques such as quieter road surfaces, noise barriers, and restriction of motorised travel in protected natural areas.

For more information, see ‘The costs of chronic noise exposure for terrestrial organisms’
J.R. Barber, K.R. Crooks & K.M. Fristrup, Trends in Ecology & Evolution.

The BES held a highly successful reception at ‘Our Dynamic Earth’ in Edinburgh on Thursday 8 October to celebrate both the work of the BES’s members in Scotland and the first time the BES Public and Policy Committee has held a meeting north of the border.

The reception also marked the end of a two-day KnowledgeScotland meeting; a partnership event between major Scottish research institutes and the Scottish Government. From 7 – 8 October ecological researchers and policy-makers gathered at Our Dynamic Earth to consider the evolution of three cross-cutting themes: ‘Responding to Climate Change’; ‘Protecting Biodiversity’ and ‘Environmental, Social and Economic Sustainability of Rural Scotland’.

The Minister for the Environment at the Scottish Government, Roseanna Cunningham, joined us at the reception, where short speeches from Professor Charles Godfray, President of the BES, and Professor Maggie Gill, Chief Scientific Adviser for Rural Affairs and Environment to the Scottish Government, informed ecologists and policy-makers alike.

The event provided a fantastic opportunity for networking between BES members in Scotland and policy-makers, and we hope that much progress will be made with newly-established contacts in the near future.

The first annual report to Parliament by the Committee on Climate Change (CCC), published today, concludes that a step change is required in the pace of UK emissions reduction to meet carbon budgets, and that in some areas, new policy approaches will be required to deliver the Government’s Low Carbon Transition Plan.

The Climate Change Act requires the Committee to report each year on emissions reductions relative to the UK’s carbon budgets. The report found that from 2003-2007, emissions reductions averaged 0.5% per annum. Given that in the future, reductions of 2-3% pa will be required to meet the carbon budgets, the Committee argues that a step change in the pace of reduction is needed.

In particular, it says that three policy areas need to be revised or strengthened in order to achieve this step change:

1. Residential and commercial buildings

The heaviest criticism was directed at the government’s policy to reduce carbon emissions from homes. The carbon emissions reductions target (Cert) came into effect last year and places an obligation on energy suppliers to help homeowners reduce household emissions through specific measures such as by supplying energy-saving light bulbs. The results are too piecemeal according to the CCC, and a ‘whole house’ approach (simultaneously implementing the full range of measures) and ’street-by-street’ approach is likely to be required.

2. Electricity Generation

Dramatic improvements in the energy efficiency of buildings must be coupled with a 50% cut in the carbon emitted by the energy sector by 2020. The Committee backs the government’s plan for coal stations with carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology, but says three new nuclear plants should be operational between 2018 and 2022. The CCC has also recommended that 23GW of wind power be added to the current installed capacity of 4GW. This would mean the equivalent of 8,000 3MW turbines by 2020.

3. Road transport

The Committee reiterated its belief that the carbon-efficiency of new cars can and should be reduced from above 160g/km today to 95g/km by 2020. This reduction could be achieved by improvements to fuel efficiency on conventional cars, but further reductions beyond 2020 will require a significant role for electric cars. To ensure rapid progress, two new mutually reinforcing government policies are required: Support for new car purchase to drive initial volumes and help manufacturers achieve economies of scale; and support for battery charging infrastructure.

For further information please see the CCC website, or visit the Guardian.

At today’s Policy Lunchbox meeting we were fortunate to be joined by Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, inaugural President of the Society of Biology. Over the course of the hour Professor Rothwell provided brief background information on the formation of the Society of Biology, officially incorporated on 1 October this year, and a vision for how the organisation might develop.

Over the course of the following year the Society will consult with members, both individual and organisational, to seek their views on its strategy and business plan. The Society will also seeks ways to engage more closely with member organisations, strengthen its regional base and explore new categories of membership. Professor Rothwell stated that science policy would be a major priority for the new organisation, which would aim to take a proactive stance, rather than the reactivity which had somewhat characterised the Biosciences Federation and Institute of Biology in the past. The Society would draw upon the expertise of member organisations in order to develop a strong policy voice for the biosciences. Public engagement and engagement in Europe and internationally would also be a focus.

The Society of Biology’s strategic aims are:

- to represent the biological sciences in public affairs
- to provide educational and outreach activities
- to develop effective communications
- to engage with the membership
- to ensure financial viability

The Society will be governed by a Council, made up of members from two ‘colleges’: the organisational college and the individual college. Each will elect and Chair and a number of representatives, who will sit on Council. For the organisation to reach a decision and move forward on a point, both colleges must agree.

Two main Committees will drive the work of the organisation; the Education, Training and Policy Committee and the Membership, Marketing and Communications Committee. The Society will co-opt members from amongst its 80,000 (made up of individual members or constituents of member organisations) to working groups, which will report to the Committees.

The new Chief Executive of the Society of Biology, Dr Mark Downs, will take up his post on 1 November, coming from a diverse background in academia, government and private sectors.

Professor Rothwell’s presentation was extremely useful in allowing the SOB’s member organisations, such as the BES, to see how they might work with the Society to help it in delivering its aims. At least initially the work of the SOB will depend on member organisations coming together, through working groups and other means, to assist it. Over time it is hoped that the Society of Biology can become the strong force and voice needed by the biosciences.

Policy Lunchbox is a network of policy officers from across the sciences which meets on the first Wednesday of each month. The next meeting, ‘The role of science in humanitarian aims’ will take place at the Biochemical Society, London, on 4 November. For more information please contact Policy@BritishEcologicalSociety.org or Rebecca.Smith@biochemistry.org

A recent editorial in Science (Vol. 325. no. 5947, p. 1474) argues persuasively that scientists must better ensure biodiversity research information reaches decision-makers. An important opportunity to improve this knowledge transfer will present itself in October, when the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) hosts a meeting in Nairobi to discuss the next steps in establishing a new science/policy interface for biodiversity and ecosystem services.

Unlike the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, which has the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the international environmental agreements which deal with biodiversity loss, such as the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, lack a pre-convention science assessment and have no provision for subsequent government-endorsed, independent science. Thus at present we lack information on global and local trends in most biodiversity components, as well as baselines and standards for their assessment. This is an important omission which the Nairobi meeting seeks to address.

The authors argue that the participating countries at the conference should bring their best scientists along with their best policy negotiators, for a commitment to an intergovernmental science/policy platform on biodiversity and ecosystem services is possible only if scientists become centrally involved. Moreover, scientists in general need to not only continue to generate the science that underlies good policies, but also to become informed on policy issues that relate to their expertise and ensure that research information reaches the relevant decision-making levels of government.

130 developing countries have signed a statement condemning what they see as developed countries’ attempts to derail negotiations on a successor to the Kyoto protocol, due to be concluded in Copenhagen in December. At climate talks in Bangkok, the G77 group, the UN’s largest intergovernmental organisation of developing states, accused developed countries of a ‘total rejection of their historical responsibilities’.

The US has signalled that it would like to see an end to a globally binding target and instead the introduction of national non-binding targets, pledged by countries themselves. This is seen by many as undermining the Kyoto protocol agreement.

The G77 group is concerned that developing countries will be expected to cut emissions, whilst developed countries may not have to; instead offsetting large amounts of their emissions.

Carol Browner, President Obama’s chief energy advisor, has separately said that the White House does not expect to see a US Climate Change Bill introduced this year. That the senate won’t vote on the Bill, which aims for 20% emissions cuts on 2005 levels by 2020, by the time of the climate change negotiations in Copenhagen in December, will undermine the US commitment to seeking an agreement on emissions cuts. The announcement has increased concern that a meaningful agreement will not be reached in Copenhagen.

Original articles: the Guardian, 5 October 2009

Researchers analysing the success of urban ‘greening’ projects have concluded that projects tend to ignore the social and environmental impacts of the schemes, focusing instead on economic outcomes; often from the perspective of the developer. Continuous and focused monitoring of green developments, along with a greater emphasis on involving all stakeholders, could improve the success of greening projects.

Brownfield sites, land previously used but now vacant or derelict, are often the target for land-use policy, with schemes aiming to regenerate these sites to provide social and amenity benefits in urban areas. Researchers developed a ‘logic model’ which describes brownfield greening projects in terms of inputs, processes, outputs and outcomes (or indirect outputs). Outputs could include the area of land regenerated and facilities provided, and outcomes could include biodiversity targets and cohesive communities.

The model was applied to six case studies of brownfield greening – aiming to establish trees, woodlands and quality green space with amenity value. In many cases, public surveys indicated dissatisfaction with outcomes of the projects; spaces were not used by diverse groups and there were aesthetic and design problems. In one case, the development phase of the project had not been completed, which led to poor tree health.

The researchers conclude that urban greening projects should incorporate a greater focus on outcomes and a flexible monitoring process involving a range of stakeholders, in order to maximise success.

Doick, K.J., Sellers, G. Caston-Broto, V. & Silverthorne, T. (2009). Understanding success in the context of brownfield greening projects: The requirement for outcome evaluation in urban greenspace success assessment. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening. 8:163-178.

Veterinarian Tim Dale has begun a PhD at the University of Liverpool, part funded by the National Trust, to investigate why the deadly squirrel pox virus is destroying red squirrel populations. He will investigate how the disease is transmitted to red from grey squirrels – which are unaffected by the virus.

British Ecological Society Vice President, Professor Mike Begon, interviewed for today’s Guardian, suggested that conservationists long believed the theory of the aggressive grey outcompeting the red squirrel but that, in fact, the pox virus may have been the fundamental cause of the red’s decline all along.

Dale will work in Formby, “the frontline in the battle for survival between red and grey squirrels”, according to Professor Begon. Numbers of red squirrels there have slumped from 1,000 to 100 since the pox struck populations there two years ago.

Dale will investigate whether some red squirrels are immune to the pox. His research could help scientists to develop a vaccine against the disease.

Original article: Mysterious pox kills red squirrels, leaving grey squirrels marching on. Partick Barkham, Guardian, Thursday 1 October 2009.

Today the Institute of Biology and Biosciences Federation officially merged to become one organisation, the Society of Biology. The formation of the SOB marks an exciting day for the biosciences, with a single, representative umbrella organisation speaking with a unified voice. The Society of Biology will operate through a Council and two Committees: Education, Training and Policy and Membership, Marketing and Communications. A series of sub-groups will operate within the Committees.

The new Chief Exectutive for the Society of Biology is yet to be announced.

The BES is a member organisation of the Society of Biology.