EIUI’s new book Science, information, and policy interface for effective coastal and ocean management is receiving positive reviews that emphasize key features of the volume. Writing in Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, Agnieszka Hunka of Halmstad University, Sweden stated: “The overall take-home message of Science, Information, and Policy Interface for Effective Coastal and Ocean Management is the importance of informed and science-based decision making.” “The gap between academia and policy making should be closing,” she stressed, “and this book seems to be a positive step in that direction.” To this end, she pointed out that the chapters on fundamental concepts and principles are complemented by “case studies that carefully outline decision chains and policies [which] are analyzed step by step.”
Dr. Hunka commented further:
The strength of this title is the diversity of perspectives and contributors. All too often, books on evidence-based decision making are written by academics for other academics, thus generating more evidence but not resonating with the actual decision-making practice. Contributors to this book are not only active researchers but also people involved in policy making through governments, advocacy groups, and regulatory bodies. The predominantly Canadian perspective I was expecting, however, was well balanced by authors working for various institutions around the world, including, for instance, a global perspective from authors Lahsen Ababouch and Stefania Vannuccini of the United Nations (UN) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Overall, Dr. Hunka concluded that “researchers looking for inspiration will find this book invaluable. The book will be equally interesting for decision makers.”
In a similar vein to Dr. Hunka, David Walmsley, an experienced consultant, noted in a review published in the Proceedings of the Nova Scotia Institute of Science that “the editors and contributors…represent a diverse group, consisting of active researchers as well as individuals who have had many years of experience at the highest levels of international and national government policy development.” The book, he stated, “presents a mix of international and Canadian insights with the authors coming from almost all corners of the globe.”
Drawing on his own considerable experience, Mr. Walmsley observed that “most governmental decision makers are highly skilled and experienced in the use of information, and are supported by a resilient culture of departmental screening.” In his opinion, “it’s not just about learning how to use information, but rather about ensuring that the information is made available to all parties involved in ICOM [integrated coastal and ocean management]. The control of information flow within, between, and from government departments, is a core potential ICOM barrier that needs research and attention.”
Mr. Walmsley stated that the book “has a considerable amount of useful concepts, perspectives and case studies that most marine scientists and decision-makers will benefit from.” He concluded that “ICOM connoisseurs will find a wealth of perspectives, material and useful references; the book will be extremely useful in academia for undergraduate and postgraduate research students.”
MacDonald, B. H., Soomai, S. S, De Santo, E. M., & Wells, P. G. (Eds.). (2016). Science, information, and policy interface for effective coastal and ocean management. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press (Taylor & Francis). ISBN 978-1-4987-3170-6.
The full book is available in print and e-book formats from the publisher at this link and the individual book chapters are also available from the publisher’s website.
References
Hunka, A. D. (2017). [Review of] Science, information, and policy interface for effective coastal and ocean management. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, 13(1), 217-218. doi: 10.1002/ieam.1853
Walmsley, D. (2017). [Review of] Science, information, and policy interface for effective coastal and ocean management. Proceedings of the Nova Scotian Institute of Science, 49(1), 163-167.
