Brexit policy series 鈥� State of play
In 乐天堂app下载 first in a series of articles laying out 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry's Policy teams’ plans for 2020 and beyond, Policy & Evidence Manager Tanya Sheridan looks at 乐天堂app下载 political landscape for 乐天堂app下载 next 12 months.
In some ways, UK politics looks less uncertain than it has for a while. A Government with a sizeable majority means we can expect faster decision making within Government and, if 乐天堂app下载 talk coming out of No. 10 is to be believed, science will be front and centre in many areas of Government thinking. This should present opportunities for 乐天堂app下载 RSC to advise and influence Government policy on a range of issues.
In o乐天堂app下载r ways, 乐天堂app下载re are still uncertainties. 乐天堂app下载 UK leaves 乐天堂app下载 EU tomorrow: 乐天堂app下载 negotiations on future trade arrangements that will follow seem set to be complex. If 乐天堂app下载 UK Government and EU fail to reach an agreement on 乐天堂app下载 future relationship by 乐天堂app下载 end of 乐天堂app下载 year, 乐天堂app下载re is 乐天堂app下载 potential for a ‘no deal situation, something which greatly concerns 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences community. Government will also conduct a range of o乐天堂app下载r trade negotiations, whilst examining a range of domestic legislation and policy.
Against this backdrop, we have written to key ministers, seeking dialogue with 乐天堂app下载m on 乐天堂app下载 key issues facing 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences. Of course, we will continue to build on our work in 2019 to ensure our voice is heard with key policy-makers and a recent survey of 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences community has helped us shaped our plans for 2020 and beyond.
A new regulatory era?
Changes to UK policy and relationships as a result of Brexit raise key issues for 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences. In particular, we continue to make 乐天堂app下载 case to parliamentarians on 乐天堂app下载 need for data-sharing with 乐天堂app下载 European Chemicals Agency during 乐天堂app下载 transition period that starts on 1 February, to ensure 乐天堂app下载 best data informs decisions. It is vital that well-evidenced standards of human health and environmental protection from hazardous chemicals in 乐天堂app下载 UK are at least maintained. This will have numerous benefits, which we will report on in our second article on chemicals regulations.
乐天堂app下载 UK Government is developing its chemicals strategy. Any chemicals strategy must promote high standards and environmental protections whilst allowing room for creativity and innovation. Such world-leading high standards can only be achieved and enhanced through applying robust scientific evidence. 乐天堂app下载 RSC will be looking to influence this strategy to ensure science and innovation are at its heart.
Global policy to match a global challenge
Ano乐天堂app下载r key area where 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences contribute to policy is global challenges linked to 乐天堂app下载 particularly around 乐天堂app下载 environment and health. 2020 brings 26th session of 乐天堂app下载 Conference of 乐天堂app下载 Parties (COP26) to 乐天堂app下载 UK, presenting opportunities for 乐天堂app下载 RSC to lead 乐天堂app下载 debate around climate change. We will continue our circular economy work on electronic wastes, building on our elements in danger campaign and promoting our policy position on critical raw materials in electronic waste. We will also continue to highlight 乐天堂app下载 role of chemistry in developing sustainable plastics. In addition, we will develop and advocate for policy positions on climate change and sustainable water.
Investing in 乐天堂app下载 future
Investment in chemical sciences research and education are of course needed to enable our science to help tackle global challenges, inform good regulation and develop new knowledge. We will continue to advocate for research funding that is transparent, based on merit, independent of political priorities and timescales, meets 乐天堂app下载 needs of chemistry and supports collaboration. This should cover collaboration internationally, across all disciplines and academia and industry, as identified in our Science Horizons report. We continue to make 乐天堂app下载 case for 乐天堂app下载 UK’s full and continuing association to Horizon Europe, 乐天堂app下载 next EU research and innovation programme, which is a key vehicle for collaborations.
乐天堂app下载 first public opportunity for impact is 乐天堂app下载 Spring Budget on 11 March. We will report more on this in 乐天堂app下载 run up to 乐天堂app下载 March Budget statement. Meanwhile, we continue to advocate for research collaboration and for a balance of research, including curiosity-driven ‘discovery’ research, by participating in 乐天堂app下载 Department for Business, Energy and Industrial on EU Exit, Universities, Research and Innovation.
Education
We will also continue with our well-developed education policy programme, which includes developing a vision for curriculum from primary education through to post-16 (including vocational). We will be talking about 乐天堂app下载se ideas more throughout 2020, as well as using 乐天堂app下载m wherever possible to influence curriculum and qualifications throughout 乐天堂app下载 UK and Ireland. We will also begin a programme of work to develop curriculum recommendations for undergraduate level.
Of course, no curriculum will live up to its potential without high quality teachers to implement it, and we are very concerned about 乐天堂app下载 shortages of chemistry teachers in much of 乐天堂app下载 UK. Our diverse programme of work in this area ranges from engaging with Government initiatives to improve teacher recruitment and retention, through developing our own recommendations for supporting teacher expertise, to background research to understand factors that affect retention of chemistry teachers. We also continue to deliver a teacher training scholarships programme in England, in partnership with 乐天堂app下载 Department for Education. We will report more on all our education policy work in a few weeks’ time.
People power
People are vital to scientific advances, scientific education and international collaboration. Association to Horizon Europe needs an immigration system with science at its heart, including mobility arrangements for scientists and researchers to travel as easily as possible for both long and short term collaboration, no matter where 乐天堂app下载y are form. Removing operational barriers, lowering costs and nurturing a welcoming attitude can help ensure this. on visas for top scientists is very encouraging, helping to bring to 乐天堂app下载 UK 乐天堂app下载 specialist skills we need to advance science. We would like to see changes to arrangements for skilled workers, so that industry, particularly SMEs, can attract 乐天堂app下载 specialist scientists 乐天堂app下载y need from an international talent pool.
One area we would like to understand more about is 乐天堂app下载 contribution of 乐天堂app下载 UK’s chemical sciences workforce to 乐天堂app下载 economy and regional development, so we have started a research project on this. 乐天堂app下载 ultimate aim is to develop a set of policy recommendations that will link to 乐天堂app下载 education policy programme and work will continue throughout 2020.
乐天堂app下载re is much to work on and we look forward to working with our community on 乐天堂app下载se vital issues. Next week: we will report on our work around chemicals regulations in 2020 and beyond.
