[1]Strengthening Trust top banner

This week, scientists, activists, politicians, and business leaders are
gathered in Egypt for COP27, the UN’s annual climate change conference.
They’re trying to slow a crisis that’s almost incomprehensible in its
magnitude, and they know that effective solutions rest on a scientific
foundation.

Despite this convening and commitment, many across the globe still lack the
ability to agree on what is fact versus fiction—even when it comes to
science. This week, our [2]In Focus series examines ways to strengthen
trust in science as a society.

Without trust, people become distracted by misinformation, making it harder
to tackle these large-scale issues such as climate change and pandemic
response. A recent Pew study showed only [3]29% of individuals have faith
in medical scientists to act in the best interests of the public—down
sharply from early pandemic levels. This mistrust has led to vaccine
skepticism and low levels of uptake in certain communities.

To strengthen trust in science, we must first address the sources of doubt.
Read on to learn how the Aspen Institute is using dialogue and
evidence-based solutions to tackle these issues.

[4]Invest in Pure Science, Renew Public Trust

Dr. Ashish Jha, current White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator, is all
too aware of the breakdown of trust in the medical field. During a
[5]conversation at this year’s [6]Aspen Ideas Festival, he shared a
fundamental misunderstanding about science itself—that people think science
is about getting to a specific answer. In actuality, science [7]provides a
way of figuring out how the world works because there is rarely a single
solution to any problem. Few people understand how science has improved our
daily lives, perhaps because they get a daily dose of misinformation
through social media and other sources.

Three ways we can rebuild public trust in science:
* Elevate expert voices on social media to combat misinformation.

* Use clear, approachable language and communicate uncertainty.

* Listen to the experiences of communities who were mistreated by medical
institutions.

[8]Read the full blog here.

[9]Twitter icon

[10]

In recent years, research funding has flowed in the direction of applied
science—the quest to attain practical goals. But pure science—the research
that builds a foundation of knowledge—is [11]necessary to advance our
society and build trust. The more we know about the basic building blocks
of the world, the more effective the end result which inspires confidence
in the process. The Institute’s [12]Science & Society Program, in
collaboration with our network of [13]International Partners, presents the
case in their report, [14]In Favor of Pure Science.

What’s next:

To restore trust in science and lay the groundwork for future
breakthroughs, the report argues for increased public and private
investment in pure science. Though it does not always lead to practical
outcomes, pure science advances evidence-based solutions that arrive more
quickly and to greater effect, leading to more trust in the scientific
endeavor.

[15]Read a summary from In Favor of Pure Science here.

[16]Twitter icon

[17]We Need Trust to Solve the Climate Crisis

Finding climate solutions requires trust, says Greg Gershuny, executive
director of the [18]Energy and Environment Program. Research shows that the
breakdown in climate trust happens over policy and politics, according to
the Edelman Trust Barometer’s [19]Special Report on Trust and Climate
Change. Climate change touches every industry and every individual.
Gershuny believes bringing them into dialogue not only helps establish
trust, but allows for new perspectives, better relationships, and a more
optimistic approach to the climate fight.

[20]video

Interested in joining conversations on how to fix our warming planet? Meet
us in Miami Beach in March for [21]Aspen Ideas: Climate.

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