We explored the use of scientific evidence in government policy and decision-making as part of an international transdisciplinary research project, Complex Systems for Sustainability and Health (CUSSH) funded by the Wellcome Trust.
I led a strand of this research focusing on health and sustainability urban governance in China, conducting interviews in Beijing and Ningbo.
Key findings from this research were:
- We provided insights into the ‘cultures of evidence use’ in urban sustainability and health governance in two Chinese cities, noting the complex interconnections between national policy agendas, the public and evidence. Policies are centrally led and informed by officially commissioned scientific evidence.
- Environmental health data were used for monitoring policy implementation, and they were interpreted with careful consideration of public opinion and economic priorities.
- There were opportunities for local priorities to shift the policy agenda, particularly when the public became aware of a specific environmental health threat.
- Environmental governance could be strengthened in these settings through increased cross-sector data-sharing and integration of diverse knowledge types.
- A strength of China’s approach is routine data collection that feeds a monitoring and policy cycle rarely achieved elsewhere. This cycle provides feedback to government departments, allows policy adjustment over time and can inform decisions during crises.
Image: Construction in the Chinese city of Ningbo.
Transdisciplinary research
As part of my collaboration with the CUSSH project, I authored two papers on methodological approaches in urban planetary health and transdisciplinary science.