The rocky path from policy-relevant science to policy implementation. A case study from the South American Chaco

Abstract

Why does co-produced, policy-relevant, adequatelycommunicated science fail to influence policy implementation?Analysts of the science?policy interface often focus on thesocietal relevance of the research questions and on thestrategies to convey findings to the political sphere. We arguethat these conditions are necessary but not sufficient. Weanalyze a case study from Argentina, the process leading to theCo´ rdoba Provincial Law for the Protection of Native Forests, inthe light of two contrasting models of the science?policyinterface: the Information Deficit and the Power DynamicsModels, and conclude that the second better describes theprocess. We propose some broad conditions that shouldinfluence the likelihood of a piece of scientific knowledge to beincorporated into environmental policy implementation.