Scientists in the UK are playing an important role in helping the government make decisions on climate change policies.

That’s the view of Judith Curry, Professor and former Chair of the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the Georgia Institute of Technology, who also said it is “painful” how the issues around climate change and research are treated in the US.

Speaking at the State of the US Climate Debate in the House of Lords in London this week, Ms Curry said: “I find there is a major part of the population that are scientists [who are] playing a political part in climate change decisions in the UK and that is good.”

Ms Curry reminded the “important role” scientists play in tackling climate change and added there has been a “politicisation of the science” in this issue.

She believes a dialogue between politicians and scientists is needed to fight the “uncertainty, doubts and ignorance” that is still present when it comes to fighting climate change.

Ms Curry added: “We’ve oversimplified climate change problems and its solutions. A dialogue with scientists is necessary because there is still big work to do to understand climate change because we don’t really understand it.”

• climate change, London, UK, US