Wednesday, November 7, 2007 - 1:50 PM
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Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans: Science and Restoration Policy.
Informing policy with sound scientific understandings is fraught with many challenges, starting with an agreement among policymakers that scientific understanding is an important component of good policy and including effective communication of the science to policymakers. Disagreements among scientists can hinder this process, sometimes by providing a reason for policy shapers to minimize scientific input which challenges traditional or conventional concepts. Hurricane Katrina provided the scientific community, which has been studying Mississippi delta and relevant coastal processes for decades, with an unparalleled opportunity to guide both ecosystem restoration and the design of measures to protect lives and properties from violent natural events. Since Katrina, decision makers have seemed more open to innovative scientific input and scientists have been better organized in their efforts to have significant influence. Examples and outcomes will be presented to provide insight into the shaping of the restoration effort.
Audio File