Policy Program Rebecca began by asking what we mean by integration. Typically people refer to integration in terms of creating science-policy linkages and crossing disciplinary boundaries. Her working definition is that integrated assessment is a structured synthesis, based on available knowledge and models from multiple disciplines, incorporating the knowledge and preferences of decision makers and stakeholders, in order to inform and support policy making. Since the purpose of integrated assessment is to support policy making, it is critical to provide timely information rather than over analyzing issues.
Integration allows looking at linkages, feedback, etc. in the system.
In conducting her research, Rebecca has looked at a broad range of integrated assessments. The literature is dominated by global climate change and acid rain, mostly in individual countries. The dominant tools are integrated models, but some think that more emphasis needs to be placed on the soft side, which has often been neglected at the expense of more complex models. The disciplines most represented are economics and environmental science. They were based on expert panels.