CHAPTER 5.2 Role of Translators in Science–Policy Interfacing* ANTONY CHAPMAN, a PHILIPPE QUEVAUVILLER, b, c WILLEM J. DE LANGE d AND PHILIPPE VERVIER e a WCA Environment Ltd., Brunel House, Volunteer Way, Faringdon, Oxfordshire SN7 7YR, United Kingdom; b European Commission, DG Research, rue de la Loi 200, 1049 Brussels, Belgium; c Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), IUWPARE, Building T, Pleinlaan 2, 1180 Brussels, Belgium; d Deltares, PO Box 85467, 3508 AL Utrecht, The Netherlands; e ECOBAG, 15 rue Michel Labrousse, BP 42353, 31023 Toulouse Cedex, France 5.2.1 Introduction Making good use of relevant science has always been and always will be a requirement of successful policy making. However, while interaction between scientists and policy makers takes place at various levels in various ways to a greater or lesser extent, there is very rarely an explicit mechanism by which scientific information is provided to policy makers. 1 The implications of this are that links between policy and science in both directions could be refined and improved, that more use could be made of available scientific information and that presenting and interpreting scientific information effectively to a non- expert audience is difficult for both parties. However, while most actors in both communities view better quality integration and interaction between science * The views expressed in this chapter are purely those of the authors and may not in any circum- stances be regarded as stating a formal position of the European Commission. Water System Science and Policy Interfacing Edited by Philippe Quevauviller r Royal Society of Chemistry 2010 Published by the Royal Society of Chemistry, www.rsc.org 400