| Abstrakt: |
The United Nations system is complex and its workings often seem muddled to the outside observer. The UN has struggled with this problem from its inception, sometimes successfully but often not. Part of thedifficulty lies in the increasing complexity of the issues being addressed internationally, including 'sustainable development.' The expectations raised by such an all-encompassing term are hardly achievable in immediate terms. This lack of clarity in the issues addressed through the UN is also reflected in its institutional structures. The story of Earthwatch is just one example of how the UN has attempted tobring clarity into its system. In this case, the aim was to bring together the most up-to-date scientific knowledge and make it policy-relevant on an ongoing basis. What seemed a relatively straightforward goal has instead been fraught with difficulties. In this article, I analyze these difficulties in terms of the relations between science and policymaking. Three distinct conceptual approaches have been takento this relationship: the functional approach, the feeder-of-information approach, and the assessments-for-policy approach. Each has had a decisive influence on the practices of Earthwatch. I conclude that the most recent approach offers the best alternative to realizing Earthwatch's goal. However, much work remains to be done. To this end, Isuggest that further research is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
