Pearce, W. orcid.org/0000-0001-6884-3854 (2014) Scientific data and its limits: rethinking the use of evidence in local climate change policy. Evidence and Policy , 10 (2). pp. 187-203. ISSN 1744-2648
Abstract
Climate policy is typically seen as informed by scientific evidence that anthropogenic carbon emissions require reducing in order to avoid dangerous consequences. However, agreement on these matters has not translated into effective policy. Using interviews with local authority officials in the UK's East Midlands region, this paper argues that the ideas, arguments and data informing local climate policy have been grounded in evidence from the natural sciences. Focusing on carbon emissions data demonstrated a consensus around scientific knowledge, not local policy responses to this knowledge. Acknowledging this 'mistaken consensus' provides the potential to utilise evidence more attentive to local contexts.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © Policy Press 2014. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license (http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) which permits adaptation, alteration, reproduction and distribution without further permission provided the original work is attributed. The derivative works do not need to be licensed on the same terms. |
Keywords: | climate change; local government; evidence-based policy; performance management |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Social Sciences (Sheffield) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 07 Jul 2017 11:10 |
Last Modified: | 07 Jul 2017 11:10 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.1332/174426514X13990326347801 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Policy Press |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1332/174426514X13990326347801 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:118124 |