Evidence-based decisions for the wiki world. (11th November 2009)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pascual, Pasky
• Is Part Of: International journal of metadata, semantics and ontologies. Volume 4:Number 4(2009)
• Page Start: 287
• Page End: 294
• Publication Date: 2009-11-11
• Subjects: environmental policy -- ontologies -- semantic web -- scientific evidence -- administrative law -- Bayesian analysis -- statistics -- model evaluation -- scientific data -- data provenance -- climate change -- information technology -- statistical analysis -- USA -- United States -- evidence-based decisions; Metadata -- Periodicals; Semantic Web -- Periodicals; Ontologies (Information retrieval) -- Periodicals; Data structures (Computer science) -- Periodicals; Information theory -- Periodicals; 005.74
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1744-2621

Abstract

US President Barack Obama imagines a 'deliberative democracy' that establishes policies born of the give-and-take of an engaged citizenry, but that also recognises that environmental policies must conform to the scientific evidence. But when online discussions can be easily bombarded by misinformation on complex issues, how should scientific evidence be integrated into environmental policies that are at once politically credible, legally defensible and scientifically sound? This paper describes how recent developments in US administrative law, information technology and statistical analysis create potent new tools to foster environmental policies based on the evidence.