Science alone cannot provide answers to policymakers' ultimate questions because science necessarily is silent on the human values that underlie the decisions societies make. The scientific method itself is designed to screen out the value preferences and biases of the subjective humans beings who conduct research. Technical information is useful in identifying issues, developing options, providing understanding, and evaluating consequences for policy actions. Science alone cannot provide answers to policymakers' ultimate questions because science necessarily is silent on the human values that underlie the decisions societies make. Lessons Learned from Past Assessments Based on dozens of past environmental assessments on a range of issues in several countries, some significant lessons emerge that provide insights for improving the usefulness of assessments for decision makers.
Communication can be more important than model integration in determining success.
Complex model wiring diagrams suggesting all the pathways to be studied are of limited value unless there is a carefully planned process of interactive flow of information among researchers, synthesizers, stakeholders, reviewers and end users. The assessment results in expanding options for decision makers. The assessment process can provide a vehicle for finding win-win solutions. Merely providing detailed analysis of specific policies rarely advances the decisions as usefully as when new options are generated in an interactive process between producers and users of the information. The assessment focuses on real uses at the regional level.