Evidence-neglect: addressing a barrier to UK health and climate policy ambitions

Abstract

Abstract Scientific evidence is just one of many sources of information for policymakers. Neglecting this evidence is, however, an important feature of unsuccessful policy-making. Recent UK governments’ ambitions to improve the nation’s health and tackle climate change are—to varying degrees—off course. These include halving childhood obesity by 2030 and achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Evidence on the interventions most likely to achieve these is well summarised but largely neglected in the policies supporting these ambitions. Two sets of factors contribute to this neglect: first, incentive structures for politicians that favour setting ambitious policy goals while disfavouring the effective policies needed to achieve them; second, political ideologies and interests that conflict with effective policies. Two changes could mitigate these factors: first, engaging citizens more in policy-making so that their interests dominate; second, increasing the accountability of politicians through legally binding systems for all stages of policy-making.