Global climate change: the mutual construction of an emergent science-policy domain

摘要

In this paper developments in global climate change are considered from a relatively unfa-miliar perspective — that of the sociology of science and regulation. Contrary to popular assumptions, the criteria for 'good science' with respect to climate-related research, are now being determined not solely from within science itself; they are instead emerging through aprocess of'mutual construction'with government policy institutions. This prelimi-nary analysis has significant potential implica-tions for scientific practices, and for future research and environmental policies, not least because mutual construction may now risk in-advertently foreclosing consideration of poten-tially significant alternative scientific research and policy approaches in the climate-change and related environmental fields.