Andrew Pullin: The Nature of Evidence

Prof. Andrew S. PullinCentre for Evidence-Based ConservationBangor University, UK

The Nature of Evidence

What is this talk about?

• Why create the Collaboration for Environmental Evidence (CEE)?

• What does CEE do?• What is the communication challenge?

www.environmentalevidence.org

Why create CEE?

• We need evidence to inform decisions when managing our environment.

• Data are ubiquitous and ever increasing.

• Primary scientific articles are published at faster rates than ever before, but are read by very few people.

• Wide range in quality of science• No reliable source of syntheses

to inform decision-making

Science informing decisions

Confounding factors in synthesis

1. Validity of evidence

2. Susceptibility to bias

Systematic review is the standard methodology in evidence synthesis

Evidence challenges

• Collecting evidence• Synthesising evidence• Communicating evidence

Working with commissioners

Simple messages are not necessarily appropriate

• Useful message may be complex• Complex messages tend to be burdened

with uncertainty

Communicating evidence

• Using appropriate language• Using appropriate media formats

Thanks to NERC

www.environmentalevidence.org