Integrated catchment models for policy development and decision making

Abstract

Land-system change, freshwater use, biodiversity loss, and changes in biogeochemical flows affect the resilience of the Earth system as a whole. Effective communication between scientists and policy makers is critical in addressing these challenges. Simulation models can be used as integrators of knowledge and data, and play a key role in facilitating effective boundary work between science and policy. Key issues identified are the reliability of model outcomes and the acknowledgement of their uncertainty. However, the use of models provides an advantage when analysing scenarios. Integrated catchment models can provide feedback about joint interpretation of the data and conceptual understanding, resulting in the identification of data needs. The difficulties related to improving how science informs policy is one of communication and negotiation at the boundary, and models can assist in the co-production between researchers and decision makers.

Keywords

• integrated catchment management
• modelling
• decision making