Science, Technology, and Public Policy

Frank O'Donnell describes how the strategic gains are even more enticing than the economic ones.

"President Donald Trump's executive actions of earlier this week, which attempt to undermine progress made under President Barack Obama to combat the menace of human-caused climate change, are yet another example of the new administration's propensity to let blind ideology "trump" clear-eyed science and good sense."

If this budget or anything close to it were enacted into law, the result would be a severe setback for international relations and America's standing in the world; for clean air and water for Americans: for progress in conquering cancer, influenza, and Alzheimer's; for the fight against human-caused climate change; for U.S. leadership in science and technology; for culture and the arts; and, yes, for American business, which depends on government services far more heavily than is generally recognized.  It can only be hoped that this misguided budget will be resoundingly rejected by Congress on a bipartisan basis.

John P. Holdren, Ph.D.

Teresa and John Heinz Professor of Environmental Policy, Harvard Kennedy School of Government

Senior Advisor to the President, The Woods Hole Research Center

Formerly President Obama’s Science Advisor and Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (January 2009 – January 2017)

"Sustaining African agricultural transformation will require national policy approaches which emphasize the need to transition toward sustainable agriculture. More specifically, they will need to pursue strategies that allow for the integration of precision agriculture in existing farming methods. Such policies could focus on six key elements: biological diversity; ecology and emerging technologies; infrastructure; research and training; entrepreneurship and regional trade; and improved governance of agricultural innovation."

The Belfer Center began researching energy technology issues in the late 1990s. Its mission was “to determine and promote the adoption of effective strategies for developing and deploying cleaner and more efficient energy technologies that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce dependence on fossil fuels and stress on water resources, and improve economic development.”

In this issue, we look at the history and influence of the Center’s energy innovation efforts in the past two decades by focusing primarily on ETIP’s work in the U.S. and China.

As assistant to the president for science and technology, director of the White House Office for Science and Technology Policy, and co-chair of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), Holdren has worked closely with Obama to reinvigorate America’s scientific capabilities on a range of policy fronts, from climate change and renewable energy to health care and nanotechnology.

"Building on CRI 1.0, Cyber Readiness Index 2.0 examines one hundred twenty-five countries that have embraced, or are starting to embrace, ICT and the Internet and then applies an objective methodology to evaluate each country's maturity and commitment to cyber security across seven essential elements."

"African leaders would like to escape the colonial trap of being viewed simply as raw material exporters. But their efforts to add value to the materials continue to be frustrated by existing EU policies."

Scientists from three universities demonstrate that buying a product made in China causes significantly higher carbon dioxide emissions than purchasing the same product made elsewhere.