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Policy Making Code of Practice
A Code of Practice for policy making is needed because of the widespread errors in policy making in climate change and other areas.
Having a code of practice is common in many complex areas.
This web page sets out a proposed code of practice.
The aim is to improve policy making so that it is aligned with facts and fairness.
The proposed Code of Practice
Clarity of aim- whether a policy put forward is based on a fair summary of the facts and aims to be fair to all who are affected, or is merely lobbying in order to promote a vested interest
Honesty
- telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, avoiding both exagerration and self-censoring
Transparency and reproducibility
- giving all sources, after checking all references, and giving enough detail for a reasonable person to reach the same conclusion
Compliance with commitments
- explaining how there is compliance with all obligations including legal obligations and international commitments, or justifying why there is not compliance
Accuracy
- avoiding unreliable sources and all forms of misthinking, including cognitive biases, denial, and pseudoscience
Consensus and inclusivity
- aiming for a consensus of all reasonable people, and addressing all genuine concerns
Robust
- including common objections and answering them to the satisfaction of a reasonable person
Openness
- being open to scrutiny, challenge and correction
Giving leadership
- promoting high standards of policy making and challenging errors
(version 1.2.1)
Why a Code of Practice is needed
- There is much dissatisfaction with the current methods of policy making.
- Current methods are resulting in much inconsistency and many errors, e.g. in climate policy making.
The scope of the proposed Code of Practice
Organisations and individuals putting forward- full policy documents
- policy modifications
The basis for the proposed Code of Practice
- Nolan's seven Principles of Public Life[1] - see Annex A
- The Universal Declaration of Human Rights [2]
- The Science Oath for the Climate of Scientists for Global Responsibility [3]
- standard recommendations for writing scientific papers [4]
- ethical standards of truth-telling in health care [5].
Justifications for the elements of the proposed Code of Practice
Most of the elements are self-evident - it would make no sense to do otherwise.Concerning justifying honesty, the alternative to complete honesty is a paternalistic approach, deciding what part of the truth should be told. This goes against people's right to know.
The justification for reproducibility - i.e. that enough detail should be given for a reasonable person to reach the same conclusion - is that this parallels a similar requirement in the recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors for medical scientific articles [4](p17):
"Identify methods ... and procedures in sufficient detail to allow others to reproduce the results."
References
| [1] | The UK's Seven Principles of Public Life https://www.carbonindependent.org/41.html |
| [2] | The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) Proclamation by the General Assembly of the United Nations http://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/index.html |
| [3] | Scientists for Global Responsibility Science Oath for the Climate https://www.sgr.org.uk/projects/science-oath-climate-text-and-signing |
| [4] | Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals (Updated April 2025) https://www.icmje.org/icmje-recommendations.pdf (accessed 29 Dec 2025) |
| [5] | Editorial: Truth telling in clinical practice (2011) The Lancet https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(11)61524-9/fulltext |
Annex A: Nolan's seven Principles of Public Life
The Seven Principles of Public Life
The Principles of public life apply to anyone who works as a public office-holder. This includes all those who are elected or appointed to public office, nationally and locally, and all people appointed to work in the civil service, local government, the police, courts and probation services, NDPBs, and in the health, education, social and care services. All public office-holders are both servants of the public and stewards of public resources. The principles also have application to all those in other sectors delivering public services.Selflessness
Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest.Integrity
Holders of public office must avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence them in their work. They should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends. They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.Objectivity
Holders of public office must act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias.Accountability
Holders of public office are accountable to the public for their decisions and actions and must submit themselves to the scrutiny necessary to ensure this.Openness
Holders of public office should act and take decisions in an open and transparent manner. Information should not be withheld from the public unless there are clear and lawful reasons for so doing.Honesty
Holders of public office should be truthful.Leadership
Holders of public office should exhibit these principles in their own behaviour. They should actively promote and robustly support the principles and be willing to challenge poor behaviour wherever it occurs.See Document 41: The UK's Seven Principles of Public Life for details and sources.
Started: 23 Dec 2025