PATH − Participatory Approaches in Science and Technology



Status

Co-ordination Action funded by the European Commission

Duration

04/2004 − 12/2006


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Outline

The project objectives of PATH are to:

  1. Facilitate the exchange of information and experience in developing participatory science-based policy via interdisciplinary project meetings, international workshops and a well focused and interactive conference at the end of the project;
  2. Examine and further develop state-of-the-art methods that bring together policy-makers, experts and civil society in deliberating science-based issues through focused discussion, and the writing of policy briefs and scientific papers;
  3. Examine the issues of scale and representation in participatory decision-making and devise innovative solutions to addressing these challenges in science-based deliberation through an international workshop and the writing of policy briefs;
  4. Illustrate the state-of-the-art and develop innovative strategies to improve science-based decision-making by co-ordinating work and writing scientific papers in the four illustrative case studies areas of GMOs in agriculture, water management, biodiversity conservation, and nanotechnology.

A special responsibility taken over by the UFZ team is the case study on advances in public participation in policy deliberation in biodiversity conservation.