Help Recommend Science for the Environment Improvements for the next President
(whomever he is):

National Conference on Science,
Policy and the Environment

Participate in person or on the web

December 7- 8, 2000

National Academy of Sciences, Washington DC

Although the next President of the U.S. is still to be determined, you can help determine his agenda for improving the scientific basis for environmental decisionmaking.

Spaces are still available for the National Conference on Science, Policy and the Environment: www.cnie.org/ncseconference.

If you are unable to attend, you can participate online in 14 discussion sessions on key topics in science and the environment. Each session is charged with generating a brief set of recommendations for improving the scientific basis for decision making. Recommendations can be addressed toward the government as a whole or its specific agencies. They will be part of a report that will be presented to the transition teams for the next President and to Congress. Here's your opportunity to shape the "science for the environment" agenda of the next Administration and Congress.

An electronic Bulletin Board has been set up for individuals to post recommendations at: http://www.cnie.org/policybb.htm It also contains background papers prepared by experts who will be participating in the conference and reports from the Congressional Research Service.

Recommendations should focus on science, not environmental policy. Recommendations could take one of two forms: 1) on the need for science; and 2) on the need for ways to connect science with decision making/makers. For example, "there should be an interagency research initiative to better understand the environmental implications of genetically modified organisms (GMOs)" would be acceptable as a recommendation on the need for science whereas, "all genetically modified foods should be labeled" would not be acceptable because it is a policy recommendation. An example of a related delivery mechanism might be "there should be a ‘blue ribbon’ panel to summarize and explain the state of the science on GMOs to agency decision makers and the public."

To submit recommendations, go to http://www.cnie.org/policybb.htm and click on the breakout session of your choice, then click on "post new topic". All recommendations received will be shared with conference participants and considered for the conference report. Names and affiliations of all who post recommendations will be included in the conference report.