Contact us|Help|Site Map|Search

• Home
• About Us
• Funding
• Our Research
• Working with business

• Careers
• Publications
• Press
• Events

NERC goes public

8 December 2000

The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) today announced that it wishes to discuss with members of the public environmental issues that concern them.

To do this NERC will hold a Public Forum at which people can discuss issues with its Council and staff members, and provoke thoughts on what research will be needed to address their concerns and hopes for the future.

"This is a major step forward for NERC's governing body, its Council, which wishes to engage more directly with the public", says Chief Executive John Lawton.

NERC's aims in this new initiative are two-fold. As a public body it is committed to openness and transparency in both what it does and the way in which decisions are reached about policies and funding. It is also keen to respond to calls for scientists to engage more in dialogue with the public, with the emphasis on listening rather than talking.

The Open Forum will be held on Wednesday 26 September 2001, followed by an open Council Meeting on Thursday 27 September. Both will be held in Birmingham at a venue to be announced.

The September Council Meeting is an ideal occasion for this new initiative as Council members devote extra time to reflect on and discuss a broad range of issues.

Professor Lawton added, "We are excited by the new opportunities that public dialogue can create."

Further information

NERC Press Office
Natural Environment Research Council
Polaris House, North Star Avenue
Swindon, SN2 1EU
Tel: 01793 411561
Mob: 07917 557215

Notes

1. NERC leads in providing independent research and training in the environmental sciences.

2. The details of the Open Forum and Council Meeting will be widely advertised early in 2001, and we shall be asking people to feed in ideas for discussion. NERC will be pleased to receive any comments on the decision to go public, or on issues that should be raised.

3. NERC's governing body, Council, already places summary reports of its meetings on the NERC web-site and has recently agreed to also post copies of its meeting papers on the web, following Council meetings.

Press release: 23/00

Search