INCREASE GOVERNMENT’S SCIENCE AND RESEARCH CAPABILITY ON GLOBAL CATASTROPHIC RISK
Policy action 1: Develop in-house science and research on extreme and global catastrophic risk
Simple option: Appoint in each department a chief science advisor and office with ownership over studying and understanding catastrophic risks in their portfolio (Source: original to this report)
Advanced option: Develop a cross-government team from civilian and defence research and science agencies to study domestic and international security and economic effects of global catastrophic risk, capitalise on and consolidate existing knowledge, and develop and apply methodologies and models to assess risks, vulnerabilities and exposure to all hazards (Source: original to this report)
Policy action 2: Improve linkages between science and policy
Simple option: Form an external advisory group to government on extreme and global catastrophic risk that includes key sectors such as health and education, academia, civil society, defence, food, energy, infrastructure, banking and insurance (Source: original to this report, based on similar recommendations, such as in “Risk management in the UK” as well as real-world practice, such as the use of external panels to study Havana syndrome, a mysterious disease ailing US spies and diplomats)
Advanced option: Establish a independent body that provides independent analysis on policies relating to global catastrophic risk (Source: original to this report, based on similar practice in other policy areas – see case study below)
Case study – Science advice in the UK
The UK is a world leader in improving the linkages between science and policy. The UK government has a network of departmental chief scientific advisors (CSAs), led by the Government Chief Scientific Advisor (GCSA). No less than 26 other departments and agencies have CSAs. The GCSA also chairs the Council for Science and Technology, which is the Prime Minister’s independent advisory body on cross-cutting science and technology issues. Its members are leading figures in the science, technology, academic and technology business community.
The Parliamentary Office for Science and Technology (POST) provides in-house support and analysis to the UK parliament on public-policy issues related to science and technology. POST publishes short and long form briefs for parliamentarians, conducts horizon-scanning activities and supports linkages between parliament and the academic communities. And scientific advice permeates into the policy-making space too, such as the Committee on Climate Change, which is an independent statutory body that advises the government on all aspects of policy relating to emissions targets. For the UK, these bodies could be used to focus on global catastrophic risk. For other countries, the UK could be used as a model to improve their own science linkages and advice to policy.
Policy action 3: Support academic research on extreme and global catastrophic risk
Simple option: Provide funding to external advisory group or centres and institutes that study the science of global catastrophic risk to conduct policy-driven research (Source: original to this report)
Advanced option: Collaborate with academics on joint research and reports on global catastrophic risk (Source: based on similar efforts, such as a joint report by Centre for the Study of Existential Risk and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory of the UK Ministry of Defence)