(Managing the global environment)
Abstract
The conference was stimulated by concern that policy makers increasingly have to make environmental management decisions in the absence of solidly established scientific consensus about ecological processes and the consequences of human actions. Often, as in the case of climate change, some decisions may have to be made in the absence of information that is desirable but may not be available for years to come, if ever. Six topics were identified as running throughout the Congress. These were: the epistemology and history of the sciences or disciplines concerned with the environment, including the scientific basis of rationality and modes of dealing with uncertainty and complexity; the social, economic, and institutional conditions for the production of knowledge bearing on the environment, including the politics of research and the improvement of scientific data; the structuring and institutionalization of expert assessments on national and international levels, including the global distribution of expertise; the means of establishing scientific information, the role of the media in transmitting and processing knowledge about the environment, and the organization of public environmental debate; and decision making and management under conditions of uncertainty; and, finally the relationship between science and ethics. 13 refs.
- Authors:
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- DOE/EH
- OSTI Identifier:
- 5568499
- Report Number(s):
- ORNL/FTR-3403
ON: DE90001396
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-84OR21400
- Resource Type:
- Technical Report
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; 99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE; 29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY AND ECONOMY; ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY; GLOBAL ASPECTS; BIOLOGICAL MODELS; DATA ANALYSIS; DECISION MAKING; ECONOMICS; ETHICAL ASPECTS; FORECASTING; FRANCE; GREENHOUSE EFFECT; INFORMATION DISSEMINATION; INSTITUTIONAL SECTOR; MEETINGS; PUBLIC HEALTH; RISK ASSESSMENT; SOCIAL IMPACT; TRAVEL; UNITED KINGDOM; WATER QUALITY; ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY; EUROPE; GOVERNMENT POLICIES; 500200* - Environment, Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989); 570000 - Health & Safety; 530100 - Environmental-Social Aspects of Energy Technologies- Social & Economic Studies- (-1989); 530200 - Environmental-Social Aspects of Energy Technologies- Assessment of Energy Technologies- (-1989)
Citation Formats
Rayner, S F. (Managing the global environment). United States: N. p., 1989.
Web.
Rayner, S F. (Managing the global environment). United States.
Rayner, S F. 1989.
"(Managing the global environment)". United States.
@article{osti_5568499,
title = {(Managing the global environment)},
author = {Rayner, S F},
abstractNote = {The conference was stimulated by concern that policy makers increasingly have to make environmental management decisions in the absence of solidly established scientific consensus about ecological processes and the consequences of human actions. Often, as in the case of climate change, some decisions may have to be made in the absence of information that is desirable but may not be available for years to come, if ever. Six topics were identified as running throughout the Congress. These were: the epistemology and history of the sciences or disciplines concerned with the environment, including the scientific basis of rationality and modes of dealing with uncertainty and complexity; the social, economic, and institutional conditions for the production of knowledge bearing on the environment, including the politics of research and the improvement of scientific data; the structuring and institutionalization of expert assessments on national and international levels, including the global distribution of expertise; the means of establishing scientific information, the role of the media in transmitting and processing knowledge about the environment, and the organization of public environmental debate; and decision making and management under conditions of uncertainty; and, finally the relationship between science and ethics. 13 refs.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5568499},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Oct 03 00:00:00 EDT 1989},
month = {Tue Oct 03 00:00:00 EDT 1989}
}