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Commentary

Nature 416, 367-368 (28 March 2002) | doi:10.1038/416367a

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Science policy: Policy, politics and perspective

Roger A. Pielke, Jr1

  1. Roger A. Pielke Jr is at the Center for Science and Technology Policy Research, University of Colorado/CIRES, 1333 Grandview Avenue, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0488, USA.

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The scientific community must distinguish analysis from advocacy.

Publication of Bjorn Lomborg's The Skeptical Environmentalist in September 2001 was immediately followed by an unprecedented mobilization of environmental advocates against the book, its author and publisher (see 'Box 1 From teapot to tempest'), the reverberations of which are still continuing. The Lomborg affair merits attention not because of its robust criticisms, character assassination and pressure politics — these are nothing new — but because its extremeness could mark a watershed in how science relates to policy and politics.