The role of Science in land use planning (and in some other issues related to environmental problems)

Abstract

The technical, political and administrative aspects of Rural Land Planning are closely linked and hardly can be treated in isolation. To incorporate science and scientists in land planning improves some factors that define the quality of the process (e.g. access to information, perception of problems, etc.) but not others (disputes on values and interests or power asymmetries). Science incorporates, as systematized knowledge, an indispensable “knowledge bank”. In turn, Science can play another key role in providing pa�erns of thought and action in which the criteria of truth are associated with empirical and logical evidence and not to the principle of authority or magical thinking. Society and the System of Science and Technology (SCyT) should identify those cases where participation is critical to avoid uninformed debates. The involvement of Science and scientists is important when you have to reduce the uncertainty associated with decision making. Should be avoided, meanwhile, the least recognized situation to force the participation of the SCyT in the cases of disputes over interests and values. In such situations its participation becomes unnecessary and possibly counterproductive. The participation of scientists has to happen in close collaboration with other stakeholders. The participation of the SCyT in the land planning processes faces, however, many challenges and problems. A non-exhaustive list includes conflicts of interest, reductionism and the possibility to achieve inter / trans / multidisplinarity.