Question

While skepticism and uncertainty are necessary in framing scientific consensus regarding expected changes in the future, for politicians and policy makers, these factors are __________ to policy formation.

Answer 1

Negative for policy formation.

Step-by-step explanation:

Policy differs from science in that policy has the goal of changing society in more immediate ways. Science on the other hand, is mostly concerned with objective knowledge, regarless of societal implications.

For policymakers, uncertainty is a problem because it reduces their ability to develop effective policy.

For example, in a scenario where there is uncertainty about whether the sea levels will rise or not, policymakers from a coastal city will be in conflict when writing policy concerning land use.