In a response to the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee consultation on the Use of Science in International Agreements, the Royal Society highlighted that science is more easily incorporated within a global agreement if an international scientific advisory body is used or established for the purpose. A good example is the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which provides independent scientific advice to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change through a consensus of a considerable number of the worlds leading climate experts. In contrast, the absence of a formal scientific advisory panel on a UK and particularly at the international level is a major constraint to developing a more effective Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention.
The submission also calls on the UK Government to develop a clearer and more co-ordinated approach in accessing science advice for international agreements.
Royal Society submission
Press release 19 January 2004 - Controls of biological weapons critically weakened