We’ve seen how science can rapidly alter how nations respond to emergencies like a pandemic, but why is the response to the climate emergency so slow? Laura and Antonia discuss multiple ways that scientists can help shape national policy, how people’s beliefs and behaviours are accounted for, and how the general public can have a voice too.

A guide by the British Ecological society helps explain how policy relates to legislation. You can read more about how many civil servants we have in the UK, read a report from the House of Commons library about what led to the Climate Change Act 2008, and read about how research from universities influenced the UK’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic.