Attitudes of young scholars in Qingdao and Hamburg about climate changeand climate policy The role of culture for the explanation of differences

This article analyses differences in the attitudes related to climate change of young scholars in environmental science in Qingdao (China) and Hamburg (Germany). The main aim of the article is to evaluate the role of cultural differences for their explanation. We expect no significant differences in the attitudes related to the findings of climate research, since scientific principles are the joint basis of the scientific discourse wordwide. However, we expect that there are differences in the attitudes of the young scholars about the role of science, of the state and of the civil society for dealing with the challenge of climate change. We suggest that these can be explained with substantial cultural differences between both societies, with regard to the role of the state and the civil society for the solution of environmental problems. In order to evaluate these hypotheses, we have conducted a comparative survey among environmental science students in Qingdao (China) and Hamburg (Germany) about their attitudes towards climate change. The findings support our main hypotheses. The young scholars in Qingdao and Hamburg differ substantially in their views of the role of science in society and policymaking. Plausibly, these differences may mainly be explained with differences in the cultural ideas about the role of the state and of the civil society for the solution of environmental problems. Gradual differences in the share of young scholars who think that climate change has anthropogenic causes, may be explained with differences in the curriculum but also by cultural habits. This article makes a new contribution to the scientific debate by exploring the role of cultural differences for differences in the attitudes of young scholars in environmental science in connection with climate change and climate policy in different cultural contexts.

后默克尔时代德国科技政策展望

During Angela Merkel’s administration,the German government supported scientific and technological policies that promote German socioeconomic development.After a narrow election win for the Social Democratic Party,Merkel’s position as chancellor will be filled by a leader chosen by a coalition of Germany’s political parties which differ somewhat in their positions on science and technology policy.Also affected by ChinaUS competition,EU strategy,and domestic political pressures in response to economic slowdown and the summer’s heavy flooding,post-Merkel policy is likely to increase both state intervention in scientific research and its investment in climate neutralizing technology,meanwhile strengthening trans-Atlantic tech cooperation and adjusting to China’s competitiveness,with ideology in mind.In the post-Merkel era,there will be more competition between Germany and China.

Innovative Practices for the Promotion of Local/Indigenous Knowl­edge for Disaster Risk Reduction Management in Sudur Paschim Province,Nepal

This study is an attempt to point out the different types of natural hazards in Sudur Paschim province of Nepal where environmental degradation processes such as deforestation,desertification,biodiversity loss,soil crisp and watershed degradation are rising trends.Using participatory method multi hazard prone areas were identified with type and intensity.Multi criteria evaluation method was applied to prioritize replicable actions with location-specific innovative practices and their legitimization for integrating local and indigenous knowledge into mainstream education,science and policy with a view to incorporate local and indigenous knowledge as live science in disaster and climate change education.Findings of the study reveal that varieties of natural hazards in combination with social factors such as poverty,conflict and inequality have resulted frequent disasters and social vulnerabilities in many parts of the province.Traditionally,indigenous and local people have responded threats of multi hazards by using their traditional knowledge and skills which has evolved over generations,and continue to adapt to future changes.These traditional,often faith-based,beliefs and practices were found to use as the key to their resilience in the face of natural hazards.However,many communities have been lost their knowledge as the elderly die without transferring it to younger members.Behind this proper educational policy and strategic development plans have not been implemented to cope local/indigenous knowledge into practices.Findings of the study indicate that indigenous and local knowledge is a precious province resource that can support the process of disaster prevention,preparedness and response in cost-effective disaster risk reduction.Therefore,policy framework has to prime focus to integrate indigenous and local knowledge,wisdom and skills into mainstream educational programs in order to transfer science into policy and education(words)into practice.

Japanese Science and Technology Basic Plan: A Perspective of Policy Process

The Japanese government formulates the Science and Technology Basic Plan every five years based on the Science and Technology Basic Law, and indicates the future direction of Japan’s science and technology. This paper describes its history, significance, and decision process of this Science and Technology Basic Plan. Then this paper describes the characteristics of the previous five plans, contributions to Japanese science and technological activities, and its challenges for the future. In the formulation of the Science and Technology Basic Plan, the role of the Council for Science and Technology Policy has been significant. However, after establishing Shinzo Abe administration, the inclination to global innovation has been emphasized in Japan as well, the Council for Science and Technology Policy was renamed the Council for Science, Technology and Innovation, and the midterm and annual strategies centered on innovation have also been prepared. This paper described these movements.Japan suffers from population decline and the increase in governmental deficits, and there is also a tendency towards weakness in science and technology innovation. To formulate more suitable science and technology basic plans will revitalize and strengthen Japan’s science and technology innovation.

The health care economic-industrial complex: Concepts and general characteristics

The strategic role of health care within the Brazilian development agenda has been increasingly recognized and institutionalized. Aside from its importance as a structural element of the Welfare State, health care plays a leading role in generating innovation. Despite this, the productive base of Brazil’s health care system is extremely fragile, jeopardizing both the universal provision of health care services and the country’s competitive insertion in the globalized environment. This suggests the need for a more systematic analysis of the complex relationships that exist between the technological and the social interests involved in the productive base of health care provision in Brazil. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to enhance our understanding of the productive base of health care, especially given its potential to contribute to a socially inclusive development model, which is the ultimate goal in Brazil.

Politics and Open Science:How the European Open Science Cloud Became Reality (the Untold Story)

This article will document how the European Open Science Cloud(EOSC)emerged as one of the key policy intentions to foster Open Science(OS)in Europe.It will describe some of the typical,non-rational roadblocks on the way to implement EOSC.The article will also argue that the only way Europe can take care of its research data in a way that fits the European specificities fully,is by supporting EOSC.

Grain Science and Technology Policies and Food Security in China:An Empirical Study Based on a Provincial Dynamic Panel Model

China’s grain science and technology policies have played an important role in the development of China’s food industry.This paper aims to examine the effects of China’s grain science and technology policies on food security.It quantitatively assesses China’s food security by analyzing the main contents and development trends of China’s food science technology policies through the text metrology method,and then investigates the effects of grain science and technology policies on food security by employing a provincial dynamic panel model.The results show that food security in China is all-round developed,and that the release frequency and cumulative effect of grain science and technology policies play a significant role in promoting food security.Powerful grain science and technology policies can effectively guarantee China’s food security.

Science and Innovation Diplomacy from a Practitioner's Perspective——A Case-study of “Nordic+” Countries in China

Science and innovation diplomacy is at a crossroad-facing the need for enhanced cooperation to tackle global challenges and in a more complex geopolitical landscape.Built on“learning-by-doing”and“learningby-experimenting”as well as focusing on future development needs and opportunities,the science and innovation diplomacy practices of“Nordic+”countries,i.e.,Denmark,Finland,Sweden and the Netherlands,in China are presented in the paper.Their common strategic insights can be summarized as:1)a new policy narrative on“co-opetition”,2)a balanced approach and a long-term and future-oriented perspective on“coopetition”and 3)more agile,targeted and impact-oriented instruments and partnerships for“co-opetition”.Concrete suggestions for the future development include:1)a deepened understanding of how science and innovation are inter-connected with strategic and economic interests of countries and continents,2)publicly funded schemes and instruments for engaging Nordic multinationals and deepening science-industry-policy collaborative efforts,3)systematic methods through combining evidence-based and future-oriented analyses and 4)skill-and capacity development for identifying,preventing and mitigating multifaceted risks in cooperation.In such contexts,the implementation of EU’s mission-driven innovation and the twin-transition,i.e.the sustainability transition and digital transition,can open up new opportunities for the future cooperation.

New trends in China's science and education evaluation research under the background of“Breaking the Five- only”

Based on the background of the special clean-up action of"Breaking the Five-only",this paper combs the relevant policies of domestic science and education evaluation.Using CiteSpace and VOSviewer scientific measurement software,this paper makes a visual analysis on the related domestic research of the"Five-only"and"science and education evaluation",and expounds the frontier hot spots and trends of science and education evaluation research in China.Based on this,this paper summarizes the countermeasures and suggestions on how to"break"the"Five-only"and how to"establish"the"new system of science and education evaluation",in order to provide a reference for the sustainable and healthy development of science and education evaluation in China.

Global concerns related to water biology and security:The need for language and policies that safeguard living resources versus those that dilute scientific knowledge

Increasingly,scientists and non-scientists,especially employees of government agencies,tend to use weak or equivocal language when making statements related to science policy and governmental regulation.We use recent publications to provide examples of vague language versus examples of strong language when authors write about regulating anthropogenic pressures on natural resources.Lifeless language is common in agency reports,policy documents,and even scientific papers published by academics.Such language limits success in regulating anthropogenic pressures on natural resources.This challenge must be recognized and countered as a driver of the condition of water and associated resources.We also list sources of vague wording,provide global examples of how ambiguous language and political influences have contributed to water resource degradation,discuss the recent history of science censorship,and offer possible solutions for more direct scientific discourse.We found that:(1)equivocal language was especially common in concluding statements and not only by government employees;(2)authors discussed confusing language concerns in an agency publication;and(3)agency employees sometimes used active,strong language.Key drivers of weak language include:(1)holding on to old paradigms and resisting new knowledge;(2)scientific uncertainty;(3)institutional manuscript review policies;(4)employment and funding insecurity;and(5)avoiding the appearance of advocacy.Examples associated with euphemistic language included climate change,flow and physical habitat alteration,dams,agriculture,mining,forestry,and fisheries,as well as resistance towards monitoring,assessing,and reporting ecological conditions.Suggestions for mitigating equivocal language involve employment protections and greater focus on scientific ethics.We conclude that natural resource scientists should resist calls to employ imprecise language.Instead,they should be strong advocates for prescriptive and protective natural resource actions—based on their science—to halt and reverse the systemic degradation of those resources.

Strengthening the scientific evidence base of a new climate agreement

Ahead of the forthcoming global intergovernmental climate meeting in Paris,scientists met in Paris in July at a large scientific conference calling for an ambitious agreement aimed at holding global warming to 2℃.With agriculture,forestry,and other land use contributing 24%of total greenhouse gas(GHG)emissions(2000-2009),there is potential for significant ecosystem-based mitigation benefits.Similarly,maintaining healthy ecosystems represents,in many situations,the most efficient way of adaptation.This paper highlights some scientific aspects,as presented at the conference,related to ecosystem-based adaptation and mitigation.It calls for enhanced cooperation between scientists,policy makers,and other stakeholders.