Science and sustainability: who knows best?

Sustainability is a worthy ideal. Deciding between the priorities associated with the sustainable development needed to work towards sustainability, specific objectives to be met, methods for meeting them and criteria for success will be governed primarily by politics, perspective and probably power. Effective decision-making, however, involves identifying and deciding between a variety of options, assessing the existing state of knowledge, uncertainty and ignorance and the time that might be needed usefully to improve knowledge and reduce uncertainty. It also requires objectivity, open-mindedness, scepticism and clarity of thought. Knowledge is necessary (but not sufficient) for rational decision-making. Some knowledge (but not all) relates to a developing understanding of the physical and natural world, i.e. scientific knowledge. Are there absolutes in this knowledge? With what authority can (or should) science speak? Is science too much confused with technology and its application? How should critical scientific and technological controversies be resolved? To what extent should decision-making/adjudication be based on a democratic process or on rational judgement by experts? How can a balance between these be achieved and be made acceptable? What happens when scientists become activists? How can science and democracy be reconciled? The issues raised by these questions will be discussed.