Societal role of dutch fresh-water ecologists in environmental policies
pp. 261-277
in: Paul T. Durbin (ed), Technology and responsibility, Berlin, Springer, 1987Abstract
As in most industrialized countries, environmental problems have become a major concern of Dutch society since the late 1960s. In response to the growing awareness of the depletion of non-renewable resources and the destruction of nature, scientists have been asked to contribute to the solution of environmental problems. Among these scientists are ecologists with special knowledge of the effects of human activities on the natural environment. Nowadays their participation has become essential in the development of environmental policies. This increased importance of ecological knowledge in policy matters has altered the relationship between ecologists and society. Whereas in the past ecologists were mainly oriented toward the exchange of scientific information with their fellow scientists and amateur biologists, they presently play a major role in the political arena as consultants for client groups such as government agencies, private companies, environmental groups and other social organizations. In this paper I shall discuss how this recent shift in the relation between ecologists and society has influenced the behavior of one particular group of Dutch ecologists, namely fresh-water ecologists.