The ocean is vast, occupying about 71 percent of the Earth’s surface and holding 97 percent of its water. These dimensions alone highlight how the ocean dominants Earth. However, size is only one of many factors that position the ocean in critically important roles for the well-being of the planet. Food sources, transportation and communication […]
Current Literature
New Paper: Measuring Engagement with Shark Research in Science, News and Social Media, and Policy: A Bibliometric Analysis
What does research say about the shark species that navigate oceans all over the world? Is it critical to protect them? Does relevant scientific knowledge make its way to policymakers and journalists alike? In a study published on 13 September 2023 in Marine Policy, an internationally renowned journal dealing with marine affairs, we analyzed the […]
Environmental Expertise: Connecting Science, Policy, and Society: A Book Review
How can environmental information be used to enhance understanding between science, policy, and society, while simultaneously avoiding the urge to reduce that information to its lowest common denominator? Furthermore, how can knowledge transfer be facilitated across institutional and personal boundaries, while still keeping the knowledge intact and usable? These questions, along with a host of […]
“Environmental Research and Knowledge Production within Governmental Organizations”: a New Book Chapter by EIUI Authors
Research occupies centre-stage in evidence-based (or evidence-informed) decision-making. Depending on the issue, the agendas of decision makers, and other contextual factors, evidence may be drawn from a variety of sources to use in decisions. Because universities and colleges world-wide are major generators of research knowledge today, the output of academics can overshadow research conducted in […]
Benefits and Misuse of Research Impact Indicators: Three New Books on Metrics
Does research output have any impact? Do the investments in personnel and other research resources actually advance understanding and contribute to societal and environmental well-being? These questions have captivated the minds of researchers, funders, and policy makers for decades. While some quantifiable indicators, such as citations, have been widely adopted, debates about the merits and […]
Improving the Use of Climate Change Information in Mitigation and Adaptation Decision-Making: A Book Review
Why are policy measures for climate change mitigation and adaptation being implemented at such a slow pace, especially when significant efforts are being made to generate climate change information? Communicating Climate Change Information for Decision-Making strives to answer this very important question. In their introduction, editors Silvia Serrao-Neumann, Senior Lecturer at the University of Waikato, New Zealand, […]
Current Literature: Science Policy and the US Presidential Election
“Current Literature” is a recurring feature highlighting recent publications of interest on the science-policy interface. With the US Presidential Election just a week away, science policy is not at the top of the mainstream media’s agenda. Over the course of three presidential debates and one vice-presidential debate, moderators asked a grand total of zero questions […]
Current Literature: Utilisation of Information by Practitioners in the Fishing Industry
“Current Literature” is a recurring feature highlighting recent publications of interest on the science-policy interface. Much scholarship investigating the use of scientific information in the management of marine ecosystems has naturally focused on direct use by policy- and decision-makers. However, the range of stakeholders with an interest and a role to play in […]
Current Literature: The Conflict Between Journalistic Balance and Scientific Credibility in Science Reporting
“Current Literature” is a recurring feature highlighting recent publications of interest on the science-policy interface. Journalists face many challenges when trying to communicate scientific issues to the public, but perhaps the greatest is the need to adhere to standards of journalistic objectivity when reporting on fields of scientific inquiry where fringe viewpoints persist […]