About the conference

NCSE 2020 Conference Theme - Science in Environmental Decision-Making

NCSE marks its 30th year as an organization in 2020 by mirroring the theme of their inaugural conference, Science in Environmental Decision-Making. In today’s world, where environmental challenges have grown more complex, the risks greater, and the stakes higher, the role of science in environmental decision-making remains as essential as ever.

NCSE 2020 explored the various ways that science serves and contributes to the decision-making process, highlighting cases in which science has helped improve environmental decisions, as well as examples in which a lack of science has compromised the efficacy of decisions and policies. The Annual Conference brought together scientists, decision-makers, industry leaders, and subject-matter experts to effectively bridge the cultures of science and policymaking toward a more resilient and sustainable future and societal well-being.

NCSE 2020 Conference Vision - Looking Forward

NCSE leaders recognize 2020 as a pivotal year including major national and state level elections in the United States as well as continued progress globally on a range of multilateral environmental agreements. NCSE will link NCSE 2020: Science in Environmental Decision-Making to concrete outcomes useful to scientists, government, industry, and nonprofit leaders. NCSE 2020 outcomes will include a series of resources that synthesize relevant research on key topics and identify future research needs in a format that can be used by decision-makers at all levels of government and across all sectors while maintaining a nonpartisan approach. The priority for NCSE and its community is to make science accessible and increase its value for and use by decision-makers at all levels of government and across all relevant sectors in service to society and the environment.