SCIENCE AND THE DESERTIFICATION DEBATE

Desertification is an environmental issue that has major environmental and social dimensions, and which has been controversial in a number o f respects. The recent UN Convention on Desertification and Drought pl aces considerable emphasis on the social dimensions of the problem and the role local peoples and NGOs have to play in tackling it. When des ertification first became regarded as a major issue in the 1970s, scie nce was seen to have a major role in understanding and solving the pro blem, but in some circles has been regarded as failing to contribute u sefully. This paper explores the nature of scientific contributions, w hy science may have been seen to fail to serve the needs of policy-mak ers, and why scientific findings may have been misinterpreted in broad er circles dealing with the issue. It concludes by identifying areas w here science has still a valuable role to play in an issue that is now perhaps regarded as more political and social than scientific. (C) 19 97 Academic Press Limited.