Late lessons from early warnings
As part of the Economic and Social Research Council’s Festival of Social Science, a lecture titled ‘Late Lessons from Early Warnings about Hazards: why evidence gets ignored' will be held next month.
Historically, there has often been sufficient science to justify precautionary actions to reduce or eliminate harm from hazardous agents, decades before effective actions were eventually taken. Similarly, the histories of well-known technologies, such as x-rays, fishing techniques, fossil fuels and nuclear power provide lessons for thoughtful actions on the potential hazards of emerging technologies such as radio-frequency from mobile phones and the new generation of nuclear plants.
In this lecture Dr David Gee - Senior Advisor on Science, Policy and Emerging Issues at the European Environment Agency and former Director of Friends of the Earth - will analyse the societal barriers to getting knowledge into action.
He will also illustrate some ways and means by which science and precautionary measures could be designed and implemented, in order to shorten the time between the first plausible scientific evidence of harm and the first effective initiatives on reducing hazards and risks.
The lecture will take place:
On: Tuesday 6 November
At: 5.30-6.45pm
In: Rupert Beckett Lecture Theatre, Michael Sadler Building
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