Promoting meta-analysis
of fact-based governance
Starter Kit: AI Prompts And Results
SAMPLE PROMPT
from Gemini Pro
Limit the following prompt to data relevant to 2025, even if this constraint severely limits the available sources. The long-term goal is to track the results as they evolve over time - as sources accumulate (e.g., 2025-2028).
"As an expert policy analyst, your task is to synthesize available data to identify which countries have created environments and systems that are most conducive to evidence-based policymaking.
Since a direct ranking of countries by 'evidence-based decisions' is not feasible, please approach this by analyzing key proxy indicators. Your analysis should be structured as follows:
1. Identify Key Indicators for Evidence-Based Policy
Based on available cross-national data and academic literature, identify and describe 5-7 key proxy indicators. Potential indicators to investigate include:
* Government Transparency and Open Data Initiatives
* The formal role and influence of scientific advisory bodies in the government
* Government investment in research and development
* Indices on Press Freedom and the quality of the public information ecosystem
* Public trust in science and institutions
* The perceived independence of the judicial system and the strength of the rule of law
* Performance in specific data-driven sectors, such as public health efficiency or environmental performance
2. Group and Analyze Countries
Rank all of the highest-performing countries within the following illustrative tier (i.e., 'Countries with Strong Frameworks') based on their collective performance across the indicators you identified. Omit all others."
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RESULTING RESPONSE
from Gemini Pro
"Synthesizing available data to identify countries with environments conducive to evidence-based policymaking requires a nuanced approach. Direct measurement of "evidence-based decisions" is not feasible. Therefore, this analysis relies on key proxy indicators for which 2025 data is available.
Key Indicators for Evidence-Based Policy
Seven key proxy indicators have been identified to assess a country's ecosystem for evidence-based policymaking, based on available cross-national data and academic literature for 2025.
1. Government Transparency and Open Data Initiatives: This indicator reflects the extent to which governments are making data available and accessible to the public and other stakeholders. The Open Data Inventory (ODIN), which assesses the coverage and openness of official statistics, and the OECD's OURdata Index, which benchmarks government efforts in implementing open data policies, are key measures.[1][2][3] A high ranking in these indices suggests a commitment to transparency and providing the raw materials for evidence-based analysis. The next edition of the OECD's OURdata Index is planned for 2025.[2]
2. The Formal Role and Influence of Scientific Advisory Bodies: While direct 2025 rankings on the influence of these bodies are not yet available, the level of public trust in scientists and government investment in research can serve as strong proxies. High public trust can empower scientific advisors, and robust R&D spending indicates a government's reliance on the scientific sector.
3. Government Investment in Research and Development (R&D): Measured as a percentage of GDP, this indicator reflects a government's financial commitment to fostering a knowledge-based economy and generating the research necessary for informed decision-making.[4][5][6][7] Countries with higher R&D spending are more likely to have a robust scientific community capable of informing policy.
4. Indices on Press Freedom and the Quality of the Public Information Ecosystem: A free and independent press is crucial for holding governments accountable and for the dissemination of reliable information. The World Press Freedom Index, published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), is a key metric.[8][9] Economic fragility has emerged as a significant threat to press freedom in 2025.[8][10]
5. Public Trust in Science and Institutions: High public trust in science and in governmental institutions is essential for the acceptance and implementation of evidence-based policies. Recent global surveys and the Eurobarometer provide insights into these trust levels. A 2025 global survey across 68 countries revealed widespread public trust in scientists, with a majority believing scientists should be more involved in policymaking.[11][12][13][14] The 2025 Eurobarometer also shows strong European support for science.[15][16][17][18]
6. The Perceived Independence of the Judicial System and the Strength of the Rule of Law: An independent judiciary and a strong rule of law are foundational for ensuring that policies are implemented fairly and that there are checks on governmental power. Key measures include the World Justice Project's Rule of Law Index and Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index.[19][20][21][22][23][24][25] The 2025 Rule of Law Report from the European Commission also provides valuable insights.[26][27]
7. Performance in Specific Data-Driven Sectors: A country's performance in sectors that are heavily reliant on data, such as environmental protection and climate change mitigation, can indicate a broader capacity for evidence-based governance. The Environmental Performance Index (EPI) and the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) are relevant here.[28][29][30][31][32]
Countries with Strong Frameworks for Evidence-Based Policymaking
Based on a collective analysis of the highest performers across the aforementioned 2025 indicators, the following countries can be grouped into a tier of "Countries with Strong Frameworks." These nations consistently rank at or near the top in multiple categories, suggesting a robust environment for evidence-based policymaking.
The Scandinavian and Nordic Countries:
Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden consistently appear at the pinnacle of global rankings for key indicators.
These nations are characterized by:
- High Levels of Transparency and Rule of Law: For the seventh consecutive year, Denmark topped the 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index published in February 2025, with a score of 90, closely followed by Finland.[20][24] The World Justice Project's 2025 Rule of Law Index also places Denmark, Norway, and Finland at the very top.[21]
- Exceptional Press Freedom: The 2025 World Press Freedom Index, while noting a global decline, continues to rank these countries highly, reflecting a strong public information ecosystem.
- Strong Investment in Knowledge Generation: Sweden and Finland are among the top countries for R&D expenditure as a percentage of GDP.[4][5]
- Commitment to Data-Driven Environmental Policy: Denmark is the top-ranked country in the 2025 Climate Change Performance Index.[32] Estonia, its neighbor, leads the 2024 Environmental Performance Index.[28][29][30]
- High Public Trust: Eurobarometer surveys consistently show high levels of trust in science and institutions in these countries.[15][18]
Other Leading Nations
While the Scandinavian and Nordic countries form a clear leading cluster, other nations also demonstrate strong frameworks for evidence-based policymaking:
- New Zealand: Despite facing challenges to media outlets due to economic hardship, New Zealand continues to rank highly in press freedom and the rule of law.[8][33] It also traditionally scores well on transparency indices.
- Switzerland: Switzerland consistently ranks among the top countries for R&D spending and the rule of law.[4][5][19]
- Netherlands: The Netherlands is a high performer in the Climate Change Performance Index and consistently ranks well in terms of rule of law and press freedom.[32]
- Germany: As Europe's largest economy, Germany dedicates a significant portion of its GDP to R&D and scores well on the Environmental Performance Index.[4][5][28][34]
- Canada: Canada consistently features in the top tiers for rule of law and good governance, though its R&D spending is not as high as the leading countries.
- Australia: Australia is ranked among the top five countries globally for public trust in scientists.[14] It also maintains a strong position in the rule of law rankings.
- South Korea and Japan: These Asian nations are global leaders in R&D investment, indicating a strong commitment to science and technology to drive their economies and inform policy.[4][5][6] South Korea also performs well in open data initiatives.[3][35]
SOURCES
opendatawatch.com
medium.com
government-transformation.com
jagranjosh.com
worldostats.com
visualcapitalist.com
oecd.org
rsf.org
rsf.org
complexdiscovery.com
uoc.gr
rdworldonline.com
sciencedaily.com
bath.ac.uk
bayfor.org
moderndiplomacy.eu
europa.eu
europa.eu
worldeconomics.com
hsfkramer.com
worldpopulationreview.com
worldeconomics.com
ourworldindata.org
wikipedia.org
wikipedia.org
europa.eu
europa.eu
worldpopulationreview.com
studyiq.com
sanskritiias.com
wikipedia.org
newclimate.org
gijn.org
pew.org
data.gov.ie"
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jeff@factbasedgov.org