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 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 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.

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 conversation at this year’s 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 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.

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 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 Science & Society Program, in collaboration with our network of International Partners, presents the case in their report, 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.

Read a summary from In Favor of Pure Science here.

We Need Trust to Solve the Climate Crisis

Finding climate solutions requires trust, says Greg Gershuny, executive director of the Energy and Environment Program. Research shows that the breakdown in climate trust happens over policy and politics, according to the Edelman Trust Barometer’s 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.

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

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