date: Fri, 7 May 2004 22:39:32 +0100 from: May.Akrawi@fco.gov.uk subject: FW: Tony Blair's speech at the launch of the Climate Group to: m.hulme@uea.ac.uk Dear Prof. Hulme, I am the Science Attaché at the British Consulate-General in Houston and met David Warrilow and colleagues from the Tyndall and Hadley centres, at the AAAS Climate Change workshop in Seattle (Feb 2004). David Warrilow referred me to you, in response to a email I had sent him. I wonder if you can help me with this. the main points of the email are: ------------------------------------------------- I have a question from Dr. Vedlitz, head of science policy at the Bush school of public policy (Texas A&M) re: decision making over S&T issues (in response to an article I sent him on the PM's speech at the climate Group launch. I include a paragraph from his email (full text is below). I have bolded the sentence on climate change for emphasis: In our studies we are focusing on how the public and policy-makers receive and interpret scientific information on climate change and use it in their decision-making. Our goal is to identify the types of scientific information that are more readily accepted and used, the processes through which science information moves through the policy process and conditions in scientific information that limit or restrict its utility to decision-making. ------------------------------------------------------------ Kind regards, May May G. Akrawi, PhD Vice Consul, Science & Technology British Consulate-General, Houston Tel: +1 (713) 659 6275 (Ext. 2134) Fax: +1 (713) 659 7094 Email: [1]may.akrawi@fco.gov.uk [Image18.gif] [2]www.uksciencetech.com -----Original Message----- From: Warrilow, David (GA) [mailto:David.Warrilow@defra.gsi.gov.uk] Sent: 07 May 2004 04:12 To: May Akrawi Houston -UBS Subject: RE: Tony Blair's speech at the launch of the Climate Group May, Nice to hear from you again. Seems a long time since Seattle! On your Q we have not carried out any studies of the type described but I believe there have been a number of academic studies related to this carried out in the UK. A good start would be to contact Tyndall Centre who have a social science strand in their work. I suggest you contact Mike Hulme, but do come back to me if you don't get any joy. Contact details below. Regards David -----Original Message----- From: May.Akrawi@fco.gov.uk [mailto:May.Akrawi@fco.gov.uk] Sent: 06 May 2004 20:09 To: Warrilow, David (GA) Subject: FW: Tony Blair's speech at the launch of the Climate Group Dear David, it's been a while since we met in Seattle. it was a pleasure meeting you and attending the workshop. we've been promoting this to our regional contacts, along with Sir David's speech. I have a question from Dr. Vedlitz, head of science policy at the Bush school of public policy (Texas A&M) re: decision making over S&T issues (in response to an article I sent him on the PM's speech at the climate Group launch. I include a paragraph from his email (full text is below). I have bolded the sentence on climate change for emphasis: In our studies we are focusing on how the public and policy-makers receive and interpret scientific information on climate change and use it in their decision-making. Our goal is to identify the types of scientific information that are more readily accepted and used, the processes through which science information moves through the policy process and conditions in scientific information that limit or restrict its utility to decision-making. Could you please help me in responding to Dr. Vedlitz? Many thanks, May May G. Akrawi, PhD Vice Consul, Science & Technology British Consulate-General, Houston Tel: +1 (713) 659 6275 (Ext. 2134) Fax: +1 (713) 659 7094 Email: [3]may.akrawi@fco.gov.uk [Image18.gif] [4]www.uksciencetech.com -----Original Message----- From: Christian Turner Washi -Conf Sent: 28 April 2004 16:58 To: May Akrawi Houston -UBS Cc: Hans Verolme Washi -Conf Subject: RE: Tony Blair's speech at the launch of the Climate Group Best person for this on climate change is Dr David Warrilow, head of science in Defra's global atmosphere division. He acts as the interface between science & policy and controls the climate change research budget. He is best contacted at [5]david.warrilow@defra.gsi.gov.uk On the more general question, you should direct him to the Office of Science & Technology website and discussion of how science is used in policy making. [6]http://www.ost.gov.uk/policy/advice/index.htm Christian -----Original Message----- From: May Akrawi Houston -UBS Sent: Wednesday, April 28, 2004 5:25 PM To: Christian Turner Washi -Conf Cc: Hans Verolme Washi -Conf Subject: FW: Tony Blair's speech at the launch of the Climate Group Christian, could you please help me with this question. Dr. Vedlitz is the head of science policy at Texas A&M's Bush School of public policy. One of the State university which produces reports to advise TX policy makers. would you know whom I should contact or where to look for the type of information he's asking for? Many thanks, May -----Original Message----- From: avedlitz@bushschool.tamu.edu [mailto:avedlitz@bushschool.tamu.edu] Sent: 28 April 2004 16:25 To: May Akrawi Houston -UBS Cc: lalston@bushschool.tamu.edu; elindquist@bushschool.tamu.edu; mrogers@bushschool.tamu.edu Subject: RE: Tony Blair's speech at the launch of the Climate Group Hi, May. In our studies we are focusing on how the public and policy-makers receive and interpret scientific information on climate change and use it in their decision-making. Our goal is to identify the types of scientific information that are more readily accepted and used, the processes through which science information moves through the policy process and conditions in scientific information that limit or restrict its utility to decision-making. It would be great to learn of UK colleagues doing work that relates to this focus, even if just a little. Thanks. Arnie -----Original Message----- From: May.Akrawi@fco.gov.uk [mailto:May.Akrawi@fco.gov.uk] Sent: Wednesday, April 28, 2004 4:14 PM To: avedlitz@bushschool.tamu.edu Cc: lalston@bushschool.tamu.edu; elindquist@bushschool.tamu.edu; mrogers@bushschool.tamu.edu Subject: RE: Tony Blair's speech at the launch of the Climate Group Dear Arnie, it was a pleasure to see you in DC. sorry I had to rush off to catch the rest of my group. I look forward to renewing our contact and looking at the many ways we can work together on various policy issues. climate change is definitely an area where the UK is very active at the moment and I will be more than happy to dig up the right information and contacts for you and TAMU colleagues. Do you mind giving me a bit more information on the type of survey you're looking for? we have a lot on Policy and on the Science the technology side, both from governmental and academic sources. I would also recommend a quick look on our [7]www.uksciencetech.com web site for the workshop our Washington team put together at AAAS, for a joint US-UK dialogue on climate change. it has PowerPoint presentations from key people and on the UK side, includes the Tyndall and Hadley centres, two of our key institutions working on these issues. we also spoke of a visit to TAMU and I hope we can organise that in the next few weeks. if there's a specific event to attend, it's always a plus. if not, I don't want to leave it too long. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Kind regards, May May G. Akrawi, PhD Vice Consul, Science & Technology British Consulate-General, Houston Tel: +1 (713) 659 6275 (Ext. 2134) Fax: +1 (713) 659 7094 Email: [8]may.akrawi@fco.gov.uk [9]www.uksciencetech.com -----Original Message----- From: avedlitz@bushschool.tamu.edu [mailto:avedlitz@bushschool.tamu.edu] Sent: 28 April 2004 16:10 To: May Akrawi Houston -UBS Cc: lalston@bushschool.tamu.edu; elindquist@bushschool.tamu.edu; mrogers@bushschool.tamu.edu Subject: RE: Tony Blair's speech at the launch of the Climate Group Hi, May. Thanks for sending this. Good to see you in DC. Sorry we didn't have more time to visit. We're doing some stuff on global climate change now and have been looking for colleagues in Europe who may have done national surveys of this in their country. Can you help us with some contacts in the UK? Arnie -----Original Message----- From: May.Akrawi@fco.gov.uk [mailto:May.Akrawi@fco.gov.uk] Sent: Wednesday, April 28, 2004 3:55 PM Subject: Tony Blair's speech at the launch of the Climate Group Dear Colleagues, The Climate Group, a new coalition of the world's leading reducers of greenhouse gas emissions, was officially launched on 27 April by Prime Minister Tony Blair. The event marks a significant moment in the effort to draw more businesses and governments into making the emissions reductions necessary to slow global climate change. The Climate Group has been founded to foster wider independent action on greenhouse gases, building on the experiences of a core of leading reducers worldwide. The Prime Minister's speech was followed by a panel discussion and series of presentations from a range of key business and policy representatives included: Margaret Beckett, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Professor Sir David King, Chief Scientific Advisor to the UK Government; Sir John Bond, Group Chairman, HSBC; Jeffrey Swartz, President and CEO, Timberland; Jean-Francois Sautin, Managing Director, Lafarge Cement UK; Karen De Segundo, CEO Shell Renewables, Russell Horner, CEO NorskeCanada; Arnold Brandyberry, COO Connecticut Innovations; Anne Baker, Deputy Secretary, California EPA; and Nicky Gavron, Member of The London Assembly. The Prime Minister's Speech: [10]http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/page5716.asp The Climate Group: [11]http://www.theclimategroup.org/ The Climate Group, a not-for-profit organisation leading a new coalition of the world's leading reducers of greenhouse gas emissions, was officially launched on 27 April by Prime Minister Tony Blair. Membership: Membership of The Climate Group is open to all companies, NGOs and local, regional and national governments committed to adopting a leadership agenda on climate protection and to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The Climate Group will actively seek out those organizations that fulfill these criteria. However, we operate an open door policy - any organisation may enquire about joining. --------------------------------------------------- Please let me know if you have any questions on this, or other Climate Change issues relating to the UK. You can also find the full text of Sir David King's speech on climate change (with PowerPoint slides), at AAAS in Seattle, on [12]www.uksciencetech.com . Kind regards, May May G. Akrawi, PhD Vice Consul, Science & Technology British Consulate-General, Houston Tel: +1 (713) 659 6275 (Ext. 2134) Fax: +1 (713) 659 7094 Email: [13]may.akrawi@fco.gov.uk [14]www.uksciencetech.com *********************************************************************************** Visit http://www.fco.gov.uk for British foreign policy news and travel advice; and http://www.i-uk.com - the essential guide to the UK. Please note that all messages sent and received by members of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and its missions overseas may be monitored centrally. 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