198 



UNKING AND COOKOINATINC PMKMAMS lOI 



The independence, specialized skills, and consensus- building abil- 

 ities of the NGOs arc panicularly useful in the policymaking process. Be- 

 cause it is diiikuk to replicate these qualities within federal and state agencies, 

 government agencies should establish and strengthen formal and informal 

 contacts with NGOs. Contracts and grants are two common formal arrange- 

 ments; representatives of NGOs interact with federal officials by serving on 

 advisory paneb or by providing periodic advice on a consulting basis. How- 

 ever, exchange of data and other information is the most common kind of 

 informal interaction. 



STRENGTHENnNG THE LINKAGES 



The linkages between NGOs and governmental agencies could be strength- 

 ened in several ways. Increased funding for competitive grants and contracts 

 in the policy analysis and development area would give governmental units 

 greater access to NGO expeitisc. Federal extramural funding for policy analysis 

 is cunenily very limited; and it should be expanded substantially. Also, gov- 

 cnuncntal organizations should take greater advantage of the capabilities 

 of NGOs if they were more aware of the expertise chat exists within key 

 organizations, lb this end, NGOs could support the production of a guide 

 for govenunent officials and others informing them of the analytical capa- 

 bilities and expertise of the major policy-oriented environmental organizations. 

 Finally, one or more of the environmental NGOs (including pro- 

 fessional societies) should work with the American Association for the Ad- 

 vancement of Science (AAAS) to undertake an annual govcmmentwide 

 analysis and critique of federal cnviroiunental research budgets. Such an 

 analysis would be useful to analysts both within and outside the federal 

 government. AAAS has already undertaken an arulysis of federal environ- 

 mental R&D budgets for the National Research Council and the Carnegie 

 Commission.''' We encourage the continiution of this effort. 



UNKS WITH INDUSTRY 



■ EnvimnmeHtal R&D programs within the federal government and in- 

 dustry should be linked more closely, and the federal government should 

 continue to provide incentives for environmental R&D efforts in industry 

 in order to advance common goals. 



There arc many areas in which indusuial environmental research 

 and development eifotu are aligned with those of the federal government. 

 There are also many areas that are not interconneacd, and need not be. 



