The Place of Science in an Environmentally Regulated Continent

Abstract

In his presentation James Barnes referred to the distrust between some scientists and environmentalists. In his view this had to a large extent been created by the minerals convention, which polarized relations between the two groups. For their part the environmental groups have done their best to educate Congress on matters or science. It is unfortunate that scientists themselves have not been more active in this respect. Of course the position of the environmentalists is to press for more “directed research”, which is something that scientists may not like. However there should be room for dialogue and mutual understanding. It is good that CRAMRA is gone; we are better without it — the preconditions for dialogue and mutual understanding are better now.