Science
Science is knowledge or a system of knowledge about the physical world and its phenomena. Many environmental threats would be unknown without scientific research or discovered too late for the development of appropriate policies.
Environmental policy rests on a foundation of scientific research. However, the process of scientific research is not always geared to the needs of policymaking. Science seeks to prove or disprove hypotheses as a strategy for reaching enduring answers. Policy is limited in time and location: decisions must be made at a given time for a specific jurisdiction. Policymakers seek the best possible answers to issues because there is a constituency that requires an answer. Effective environmental policy requires facts derived from science as well as principles and goals derived from policy analysis. However, simply providing more scientific information does not create better policy. Scientists and policymakers often speak two different languages. An effective science-policy interface is often needed to negotiate and mediate between science and policy so that the evidence scientists provide is understandable to policymakers and other stakeholders.
Events and Articles
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31st Session of the IPCC (IPCC-31)
The meeting focused primarily on the scoping of the Fifth Assessment Report, with the IPCC’s three Working Groups convening in parallel sessions to approve the proposed chapter outlines of their contributions to the Report. The Panel then accepted the outlines of the Working Group reports and considered a number of other issues relevant to the scope of the Fifth Assessment Report, including agreeing to treat Article 2 of the UNFCCC as a cross-cutting theme in the Report.
30th Session of the IPCC (IPCC-30)
The Panel focused mainly on the scoping process for the Fifth Assessment Report with a view to providing guidance to the climate change experts who will define the outline during the AR5 scoping meeting to be held in July. The Panel also decided to proceed with the preparation of a Special Report on managing the risks of extreme events and disasters, and agreed to hold a number of expert meetings on topics such as human settlements and the detection and attribution of anthropogenic climate change.