Dwelling at the interface of science and policy: Harnessing thedrivers of change

摘要

The interface between science and policy provides rich opportunities to frame both the science and policy agendas for national (and international) advantage,but this opportunity israrely utilized to the extent that it could.Clearly,the disciplines of science and policy are so differentand are based on such different thought processes that it is extremely difficult and rare foran individual or indeed a single group to maintain skills and knowledge at the forefront of bothdisciplines simultaneously.In this paper,agriculture is used as a test case to explore ways ofbuilding and maximising the intertwining of science and policy to deliver the most favoured outcomesincluding benefits to industry.Initially there must be very clear definition of the outcomesto be targeted,and science needs to clearly articulate both the base-line position ofknowledge and a view of what is deemed feasible.Ultimately,change needs to occur at the levelof the practitioner,and so any actions from science and policy need to be based very strongly onan understanding of the factors that drive change in industry.The Australian Government’sGreenhouse Challenge for Agriculture is shown as an example of a program that works at the interfaceof science and policy to promote actions in industry that deliver wide-ranging and multiplebenefits.