Science and Government: The Case of Pollution
| Author | P. D. LOWE |
| Published date | 01 September 1975 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9299.1975.tb00222.x |
| Date | 01 September 1975 |
Science and Government
:
The
Case
of
Pollution
P.
D.
LOWE
Mr.Lowe
is
Lecturer in Countryside Planning at
the
School
of
Environmental
Studies, University College, London.
INTRODUCTION
Without doubt, the present public image
of
science is tarnished. Many
have suggested that one major cause of this downturn in public prestige
is
the widespread concern over pollution and the environment. That scientists
were in the forefront in making pollution
a
public and political issue is then
both paradoxical and ironic. An examination
of
the role that science and
scientists have played in the pollution issue,
as
well
as
illuminating this
paradox,
is
also revealing
of
weaknesses in the organization
of
science in
Britain.
Many scientists, as individuals and within groups, have contributed to
the political debate over pollution. But, here,
I
would like to concentrate
only on certain aspects
of
the pollution issue, focusing on the response
of
central government
to
pollution, the particular role played by the Select
Committee on Science and Technology and the Chief Scientific Adviser in
moulding this response, and its implications for the scientific community.’
POLLUTION
AS
A
POLITICAL ISSUE
Within parliamentary and government circles
a
major point
of
departure
was the Torrey Canyon incident.2 This caused much public alarm and
brought considerable criticism
of
the Government for its lack
of
pre-
paredness. But the incident also served
a
much larger purpose: it drew
public attention to the wider problem of oil pollution, which, though it
achieved its most spectacular manifestation in the Torrey Canyon incident,
was
in
danger of becoming commonplace.
A number of
MPS
had already been critical
of
the low priority the
Government gave
to
combating oil pollution;
a
few had also perceived
one
of
the barriers (other than the obvious one of cost) to effective action;S
that oil pollution, like other forms of pollution, cut right across depart-
mental responsibilities. Despite the Government’s Dubk stance that its
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